Professor Neil Chakraborti

Professor Neil Chakraborti has extensively researched hate crime, targeted hostility and violence against minorities. He has authored seven books and has more than 50 peer reviewed publications. His numerous research projects over the past two decades have led to a better understanding of hate crime victims, perpetrators and criminal justice policy.

Evidence from around the world suggests that hate incidents have escalated since the outbreak of COVID-19, with increasing numbers of people lashing out against particular communities who they believe are to blame for the outbreak, or who are perceived to pose a threat to safety. Much of this hostility has been directed towards visible minorities and has taken place online, as access to public spaces has been reduced. As the pandemic continues to develop, hostilities and hatred are likely to be fuelled by an increased sense of fear, mistrust and misinformation, and by rising levels of nationalism and xenophobia.

• Engagement with diverse communities
• Hate crime victimisation, perpetration and policy
• ‘Otherness’, ‘difference’ and perceived vulnerability
• Policing diversity
• Rural racism

Hardy, S., Chakraborti, N. and Cuko, I. (2020) 'More Than a Tick Box: The Role of Training in Improving Police Responses to Hate Crime', British Journal of Community Justice, 16 (1): 4-20.

Hardy, S. and Chakraborti, N. (2019) Blood, Threats and Fears: The Hidden Worlds of Hate Crime Victims. London: Palgrave.

Chakraborti, N. (2017) ‘Responding to Hate Crime: Escalating Problems, Continued Failings’, Criminology and Criminal Justice, 18 (4): 387-404.

Chakraborti, N. and Hardy, S. (2017) ‘Beyond Empty Promises? A Reality Check for Hate Crime Scholarship and Policy’, Safer Communities, 16 (4): 148-154.

Hardy, S. and Chakraborti, N. (2017) A Postcode Lottery? Mapping Support Services for Hate Crime Victims. Leicester: University of Leicester.

Hardy, S. and Chakraborti, N. (2017) Hate Crime: Identifying and Dismantling Barriers to Justice, Leicester: University of Leicester.

Chakraborti, N. (2016) ‘Mind the Gap: Making Stronger Connections between Hate Crime Policy and Scholarship’, Criminal Justice Policy Review 27 (6): 577-589.

Hardy, S. and Chakraborti, N.(2016) Healing the Harms: Identifying How Best to Support Hate Crime Victims, Leicester: University of Leicester.

Chakraborti, N. and Garland, J. (2015) Hate Crime: Impact, Causes and Responses (2nd edition), London: Sage.

Garland, J., Chakraborti, N. and Hardy, S. (2015) ‘‘It Felt Like a Little War’: Reflections on Violence against Alternative Subcultures’, Sociology, 49 (6): 1065-1080.

I am happy to accept applications to supervise PhDs on the following topics:

• Hate crime victims
• Hate crime perpetrators
• Criminal justice responses to hate crime
• Specific strands of hate crime and wider forms of targeted hostility
• Any other issues relating to themes of prejudice, ‘difference’ and ‘othering’