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Associate Professor Gail Mason

Profile

Degrees

LLB (Qld) DipCrim Melb (John Barry Medal in Criminology); MA (Crim Justice) SUNJ (Richard J Hughes Award in Criminal Justice); PhD La Trobe

Areas of Interest

  • Hate crime, homophobic violence and racist violence
  • Harassment and discrimination law
  • Poststructural, Foucauldian and feminist theory
  • Law and emotion
  • Gender, sexuality and law

Courses Taught

  • Criminal Law
  • Criminology
  • Hate Crime
  • Crime, Research and Policy I

Brief Biographical Detail

Gail joined the Faculty of Law in 2003. Prior to this she taught in Gender Studies at the University of Sydney and Criminology at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. She has previously worked for the Australian Institute of Criminology in Canberra. Gail’s research revolves around the issues of hate crime and discrimination. She is especially interested in the ways in which legal and social discourse constitute our understandings of what it means to ‘hate’ others. For example, her recent book, The Spectacle of Violence: Homophobia, Gender and Knowledge (Routledge: 2002) brings together Foucauldian and feminist theory to explore the contexts for, and implications of, homophobic violence. Gail is currently involved in two ARC grants. One examines the construction of the concept of harassment (particularly racial and homophobic harassment) within UK and Australian law. The other is an exploration of the changing nature of intolerance towards sexual minorities in Australian culture. Gail has a history of involvement in community organisations and government bodies. She currently sits on the NSW Attorney General’s Sexuality Hate Crime Monitoring Committee and the NSW Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project Advisory Committee.

Selected publications

Books and Monographs | Refereed Articles and Book Chapters | Refereed Research Reports | Research Reports and Edited Publications | Book Reviews | Academic Presentations (Selected)


Books and Monographs

  • Mason, G, The Spectacle of Violence: Homophobia, Gender & Knowledge, Routledge: United Kingdom (2002).
  • Mason, G & Tomsen, S (eds), Homophobic Violence, Federation/Hawkins Press: Sydney (1997).
  • Mason, G, Youth Suicide in Australia: Prevention Strategies, Department of Employment, Education and Training & Australian Institute of Criminology: Canberra (1990)
  • Mason, G & Wilson, P, Sport, Recreation and Juvenile Crime, Australian Institute of Criminology: Canberra (1988)

Refereed Journal Articles and Book Chapters

  • Mason, G, & Lo, G, ‘Sexual Tourism and the Excitement of the Strange: Heterosexuality and the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade’, Sexualities (Sage: UK) (forthcoming)
  • Mason, G, ‘Hate Crime’ in T Anthony & C Cunneen (eds) The Critical Criminology Companion, Hawkins Press: Sydney (2008) 180-190
  • Mason, G, ‘The Reconstruction of Hate Language’ in K. Gelber & A. Stone (eds) Hate Speech and Freedom of Speech in Australia, Federation Press: Annandale (2007) 34-58
  • Mason, G, ‘Hate Crime as Moral Category: Lessons from the Snowtown Case’ (2007) 40(3) Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology 249-271
  • Mason, G. ‘Not our kind of hate crime’ in L. Moran (ed) Sexuality and Identity: The International Library of Essays in Law and Society, Ashgate, London (2006) 389-414
  • Mason, G, 'The Book at a Glance', Symposium on The Spectacle of Violence: Homophobia, Gender and Knowledge by Gail Mason, Hypatia: Journal of Feminist Philosophy (Issue 21.2/Spring 2006).
  • Mason, G, 'Fear and Hope: Author's response', Symposium on The Spectacle of Violence: Homophobia, Gender and Knowledge by Gail Mason, Hypatia: Journal of Feminist Philosophy (Issue 21.2/Spring 2006).
  • Mason, G, Weisburd, D & Petrosino, A, "Design sensitivity in criminal justice experiments" in S Bushway & D Weisburd (eds), Quantitative Methods in Criminology, Ashgate Publishing: UK (2005), 121-163
  • Mason, G, 'Can You Know a Stranger? Racist and Homophobic Harassment in the United Kingdom' (2005) 17(1) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 185-201
  • Mason, G, 'Hate Crime and the Image of the Stranger' (2005) 45(6) British Journal of Criminology 837-859
  • Mason, G, 'Touring Safely' (2005) 18(2) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 185-201
  • Mason, G, ‘Being hated: stranger or familiar?’ (2005) 14(4) Social and Legal Studies: An International Journal 585-605.
  • Mason, G, “Who is a Stranger? Victim-Suspect Relationships in Racist and Homophobic Harassment in the United Kingdom” in M Prumm & B Deschamps (eds), Killing the Other, L’harmattan: Paris (2005).
  • Mason, G & Chapman, A, ‘Defining Sexual Harassment: A History of the Commonwealth Legislation and its Critiques’ (2005) 3(2) ICFAI Journal of Employment Law 20-44, reprinted from Mason & Chapman (2003).
  • Tomsen, S & Mason, G, 'Rethinking Hatred and Studying the Contradictions of Sexual Prejudice', Refereed Conference Paper in 2004 TASA Conference Proceedings, La Trobe University.
  • Comment: Mason, G & Chapman, A, 'Defining Sexual Harassment: A History of the Commonwealth Legislation and its Critiques' (2003) 31(1) Federal Law Review 195-224.
  • Mason, G, 'Harm, Harassment and Sexuality' (2002) 26(3) Melbourne University Law Review 596-622.
  • Mason, G, 'Recognition and Reformulation' (2002) 13(3) Current Issues in Criminal Justice 251-268.
  • Mason, G, 'Not Our Kind of Hate Crime' (2001) 12 Law and Critique 253-278.
  • Mason, G, 'Body Maps: Envisaging Homophobia, Violence and Safety' (2001) 10(1) Social and Legal Studies: An International Journal 23-44.
  • Tomsen, S & Mason, G, 'Engendering Homophobia: Violence, Sexuality and Gender Conformity' (2001) 37(3) Journal of Sociology 265-281.
  • Mason, G, "Managing Safety" in K Brass, J Byron & R Walker (eds), Anatomies of Violence, The Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Sydney: Sydney (2000), 74-86.
  • Chapman, A & Mason, G, 'Women, Sexual Preference and Discrimination Law: A Case Study of the NSW Jurisdiction' (1999) 21(4) Sydney Law Review 525-566.
  • Mason, G, "Violence" in B Caine, E Grahame, M Gatens & E Webby (eds), Oxford Companion to Australian Feminism, Oxford University Press: Melbourne (1998), 337- 344.
  • Mason, G, 'Boundaries of Sexuality' (1997) 7 Australasian Gay and Lesbian Law Journal 41-56.
  • Mason, G, "Marking Sexual Desire" in S Cook & J Bessant (eds), Australian Women's Experiences of Violence, Sage Publications: California (1997), 55-69.
  • Mason, G, "Sexuality and Violence: Questions of Difference" in C Cunneen, D Fraser & S Tomsen (eds), Faces of Hate: Hate Crime in Australia, Federation/Hawkins Press: Sydney (1997), 115-136.
  • Mason, G, "Heterosexed Violence: Typicality and Ambiguity" in G Mason & S Tomsen (eds), Homophobic Violence. Federation/Hawkins Press: Sydney (1997), 15-32.
  • Mason, G, "(Out)Laws: Acts of Proscription in the Sexual Order" in M Thomton (ed), Public and Private: Feminist Legal Debates, Oxford University Press: Melbourne (1995), 66-88.
  • Mason, G, "The Law of Rape: Incursions into the Masculinist Sanctum" in D Kirkby (ed), Feminist History of Law in Australia, Oxford University Press: Melbourne (1995), 50-67.
  • Weisburd, D, Petrosino, A & Mason, G, "Design sensitivity in criminal justice experiments" in N Morris & M Tonry (eds), Crime and Justice: Annual Review of Research Vol.17, University of Chicago Press: Chicago (1993), 337-379.
  • Mason, G & Wilson, P, "Alcohol and Crime" in P Wilson (ed), Issues in Crime, Morality and Justice, Australian Institute of Criminology: Canberra (1992), 145-158 (Reprint of Trends and Issues 1989).

Refereed Research Reports

  • Mason, G, Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men, Crime Prevention Today No.2, Australian Institute of Criminology: Canberra (1993), 6000 words.
  • Mason, G, & Wilson, P, Alcohol and Crime, Trends and Issues No.18, Australian Institute of Criminology: Canberra (1989), 6000 words.

Research Reports and Edited Publications

  • Mason, G, An Exploratory Study of Allegations of Racial and Homophobic Harassment Recorded by the Metropolitan Police Service, January-June 2001, Report to the Commander, Diversity Directorate, Metropolitan Police Service, New Scotland Yard, London, United Kingdom (2003), 10,000 words.
  • Chapman, A & Mason, G, Complaints Alleging Homosexuality Discrimination and Vilification: A Profile of Conciliation under the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act and Women Complainants, Report to the President of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board (1999), 15,000 words.
  • Mason, G, "'Are You a Boy or a Girl?': Heterosexism and Verbal Hostility" in C Sumner, M lsrael, M O'Connell & R Sarre (eds), International Victimology: Selected Papers from the 8th International Symposium, Australian Institute of Criminology: Canberra (1996), 91-100.
  • Mason, G, 'Hate Crime: Homophobia as an Example' Criminology: Aotearoa/New Zealand No.4, Institute of Criminology, Victoria University of Wellington: New Zealand (1995), 10-12.
  • Mason, G, 'Legal Constitution of the Homosexual Subject(s)' Criminology: Aotearoa/New Zealand No.3, Institute of Criminology, Victoria University of Wellington: New Zealand (1995), 4-6.

Book Reviews

  • Mason, G, Review of Ngaire Naffine, Feminism and Criminology, Allen & Unwin: St. Leonards (1998), in (1998) 31(2) Australian Journal of Criminology 209-11.
  • Mason, G, Review of Dobash, R E, Dobash, R P & Noaks, L (eds), Gender and Crime, University of Wales Press: Cardiff (1995), in (1997) 12(26) Australian Feminist Studies 359-361.
  • Mason, G, Review of Ann Game & Andrew Metcalfe, Passionate Sociology, Sage Publications: London (1996), in (1997) 8(3) The Australian Journal of Anthropology 344-345.
  • Mason, G, Review of Gillian Mezey & Michael King (eds), Male Victims of Sexual Assault, Oxford University Press: London (1992), in (1995) 15 International Review of Victiminology 264-7.

Academic Presentations (Selected)

  • Mason, G, ‘White Supremacy: Justifying Hatred in the Name of Love’, Crime and Justice Research Network Seminar, The University of Sydney, 8 May 2008
  • Mason, G, ‘The Reconstitution of Hate Language’, November 2007, Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology, University of South Australia & Flinders University, Adelaide.
  • Mason, G, ‘The Emotion of White Supremacy’, July 2007, Law and Society, Humboldt University, Berlin.
  • Mason, G, Speaking of Harassment, Hate Speech, Free Speech and Human Rights in Australia Conference, July 2006, Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, ANU & UNSW.
  • Mason, G, The Emotion of Hate Crime, April 2006, Seminar Presentation to the School of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
  • Mason, G, 'The Emotion of Murder', Seminar Presentation, Death, Murder and Violence, Gender Studies Department, University of Sydney, 17 June 2005.
  • Mason, G, 'Snowtown: Australia's Worst Hate Crime?', presented at ANZSOC Annual Conference, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 9-11 February 2005.
  • Mason, G, 'Who Is A Stranger? Victim-Suspect Relationships in racist and homophobic harassment reported to the London Metropolitan Police Service', presented at Killing the Other Conference: Racial, Ethnic, Religious and Homophobic Violence in the English Speaking World, University of Paris 7, Paris, France, January 2004.
  • Tomsen, S & Mason, G, 'Carnival, Crowds and Containment', presented at Killing the Other Conference: Racial, Ethnic, Religious and Homophobic Violence in the English Speaking World, University of Paris 7, Paris, France, January 2004.
  • Mason, G, 'Hate Crime and the Stranger: Victim-Suspect Relationships in Racial and Homophobic Harassment in the United Kingdom', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and the Institute of Criminology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, October 2003.
  • Schwartzkoff, J, Wilczynski, A, Braw, J & Mason, G, 'Violence and Homophobic Hostilities in NSW: Preliminary Findings', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and the Institute of Criminology, the University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, October 2003.
  • Mason, G, Panel Address, presented at Reproducing the Closet: Public/Private Speech Acts and the Politics of Performance Seminar, Division of Law, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, October 2003.
  • Mason, G, 'Hate Crime, Harassment, and the Image of the Stranger', presented at British Society of Criminology 2003 Conference, University of Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom, June 2003.
  • Mason, G, Keynote Address: 'Desire and Need in Engaging the Law', presented at 2003 Feminist Legal Academics Workshop, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, June 2003.
  • Mason, G, respondent to Prof. Heidi Hurd & Prof. Michael Moore, Punishing Hatred, Division of Law Seminar Program, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, May 2002.
  • Mason, G, respondent to Prof. Elspeth Probyn, Shame Travels Strangely: The Transcultural Limits of Emotion, Gender Studies Seminar Program, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, May 2002.
  • Mason, G, 'Homophobic Violence: Hate Crime or Love Crime?', presented at Legal Intersections Research Centre Seminar Series, Faculty of Law, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, September 2001.
  • Mason, G, 'Love, Hate and Violence', presented at Department of Anthropology and Sociology Seminar Series, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, June 2001.
  • Mason, G, 'Managing Safety', presented at Women's Studies Seminar Series, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, May 2001.
  • Mason, G, 'Hate Crime', presented at Department of Gender Studies Seminar Series, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, May 2001.
  • Mason, G, 'Touring Safely', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, University of Melbourne, Victoria, February 2001.
  • Mason, G, 'The Imperative to Safety', presented at Risk and Everyday Life Conference, Centre for Cultural Research into Risk, Charles Sturt University, Sydney, NSW, April 2000.
  • Mason, G, 'Not Our Kind of Hate Crime', presented at Hate Crime: Critical Reflections Conference, School of Law, Birkbeck College, University of London, United Kingdom, December 2000.
  • Mason, G, 'The Body of Scholarship', Panel Address to Feminist Legal Academics Workshop Conference, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, February 1999.
  • Mason, G, 'Violent Statements: Desire, Dirt and Disorder',presented at Beyond Homophobia International Conference, San Francisco State University, United States, April 1999.
  • Chapman, A & Mason, G, 'Discrimination Complaints, Dispute Resolution, and Formal Equality: Reflections from an Australian Empirical Study', Annual Meeting, Law and Society Association (USA), Chicago, United States, May 1999, (presented by A. Chapman).
  • Mason, G, Keynote Address: 'Backlight and Shadow: Violent Injuries',Anatomies of Violence: A Post-grad Mortem, Research Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, July 1999.
  • Mason, G, 'Is Violence Power?', presented at Division of Law Seminar Program, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, November 1999.
  • Mason, G & Tomsen, S, 'Engendering Homophobia', presented at Hate Crime: A Conference, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, December 1999.
  • Mason, G, Keynote Address: 'Spectacularising Violence', Violence, Sexuality & Space Seminar, Centre for Women's Studies, Lancaster University, United Kingdom, June 1998.
  • Mason, G & Chapman, A, 'Enacting Order: Legal and Personal Narratives of Discrimination',presented at Gender, Sexuality and the Law: An International Conference, Keele University, United Kingdom, June 1998.
  • Mason, G,'The Spectacle of Violence',presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Griffith University, Brisbane, Qld, September 1997.
  • Chapman, A & Mason, G, 'Sexual Identity and Discrimination', presented at 15th Annual Law and Society Conference, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, December 1997.
  • Mason, G, 'Gender Disorder and the Spectacle of Violence', presented at Department of Women's Studies Seminar Program, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, November 1996.
  • Mason, G, 'Women and the Law: Achievements in Relation to Rape', presented at Law Society of NSW Legal Studies Conference, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, November 1996.
  • Mason, G, 'Marking Sexual Desire',presented at 6th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, March 1996.
  • Mason, G, 'Sexual Desire and the Marks of Hostility', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, February 1996.
  • Mason, G, Panel Address: 'A Dialogue Across the Modern/Postmodern Divide', Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand, February 1996.
  • Mason, G, 'Hate Crime: Homophobia as a Case Study', presented atSeminar Meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology (New Zealand Branch), Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, September 1995.
  • Mason, G, Keynote Address: 'Heterosexed Violence: Typicality and Ambiguity',presented at First National Conference on Violence Against Gays and Lesbians (Australian Institute of Criminology), University of Sydney, NSW, September 1995.
  • Mason, G, 'Hostility and Homophobia: Crimes of Hatred', presented atSociological Association of Aoteoroa-New Zealand Conference, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, November 1995.
  • Mason, G, 'The Trap of Visibility', presented at Sociological Association of Aotearoa-New Zealand Conference, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, November 1995.
  • Mason, G, 'Are You a Boy or a Girl? Heterosexism and Verbal Hostility', presented at 8th International Symposium on Victimology, Adelaide, SA, August 1994.
  • Mason, G, 'Heterosexist Hostility and the 'Universal Subject', presented at TASA Conference, The Australian Sociology Association, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, November 1993.
  • Mason, G, 'Visages of Hate: Anti-Gay Violence', presented at Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology Annual Conference, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, September 1993.