Personal profile
Biography
Maggie O’Neill is Professor of Sociology & Criminology and Director of the Institute for Social Sciences in the 21st century and UCC Futures: Collective Social Futures. Maggie is Vice president of the European Sociological Association, a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, a fellow of the Royal Society for Arts and an elected member of the Royal Irish Academy. Her long research career demonstrates expertise in critical, cultural and feminist theory as well as biographical, creative & mobile/walking methods and policy relevant research, often with marginalised communities and artists - working together to create change. Social Justice is at the heart of her research.
Research leadership has been instrumental in moving forward debates, dialogue and scholarship in three substantive areas: sexwork, sexual violence and exploitation; forced migration and the asylum-migration nexus, including a focus on race, crime and justice; innovative participatory, biographical, performative and visual methodologies.
Before joining UCC in 2018 she was Chair in Sociology & Criminology in the Department of Sociology at the University of York, Professor in Criminology at the University of Durham and Principal of Ustinov College, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Loughborough, Reader in Sociology at Staffordshire University and Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Nottingham Trent University.
External positions
Advisory Board Member, Institute for Inclusive Communities & Environments, University of Greenwich
2025 → …
Advisory Board Member, VISION Project-Institute of Social Sciences at the Humboldt University in Berlin
2025 → …
Vice President of the European Sociological Association
25 Aug 2024 → 27 Aug 2026
Board Member, Traveller Visibility Group, Cork
2024 → …
Advisory Board Member, ESRC Health and Justice Project, Newcastle University
2023 → 2027
Consulting Editor, Journal of Gender and Justice
2023 → …
Advances in Biographical Methods -Book Series Editor , Policy Press/Bristol University Press
2023 → …
Board Member, LEX Research Network (Law, Gender and Sexuality)
2022 → …
Board Member Irish Sex Work Research Network, Irish Sex Work Research Network
2018 → …
Board Member, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Global Network
2003 → …
UCC Futures (primary)
- Collective Social Futures
Other research affiliations
- Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 1 No Poverty -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions -
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Cripping desire lines: Disabled people, creative walking and the right to walk the city
Rose, M., Heddon, D., Qualmann, C., Wilson, H. & O'Neill, M., 4 Feb 2026, In: Urban Studies. 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Introduction: Walking as Critical Pedagogy - Principles and Practice
O'Neill, M., O'Donovan, D., Barimo, J., Mullally, G., Isaloo, A. S., Keohane, K., Spalding, T., Swirak, K., Boland, T. & Griffin, R., 16 Sep 2025, Walking as Critical Pedagogy. Taylor and Francis, p. 1-17 17 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedings › Foreword/Postscript
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Migrant Women Opposing Governmental Performative Politics and the Hostile Environment
Reynolds, T., Erel, U. & O’Neill, M., 21 Aug 2025, In: Sociological Research Online.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Migration, Liminality and Place: Migration Walk as Critical Pedagogy
Isaloo, A. S. & O'Neill, M., 28 Jul 2025, Walking as Critical Pedagogy. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 62-88 26 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedings › Chapter › peer-review
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Walking as Critical Pedagogy
Sharifi Isaloo, A., O'Neill, M., Keohane, K., Boland, T., Mullally, G., Barimo, J., Swirak, K., Griffin, R., O'Donovan, D. & Spalding, T., 2025, Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review
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Co-supervisor of Jafla Pontianus Vitalis
Skillington, T. (Participant) & O'Neill, M. (Participant)
2025Activity: Other activity
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PhD Co-supervision of James Keogh
Skillington, T. (Participant) & O'Neill, M. (Other)
2024Activity: Other activity
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Keynote Immobilities Conference
O'Neill, M. (Speaker)
2021Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Keynote Creative and Collaborative imaginations
O'Neill, M. (Speaker)
2019Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
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Prizes
Press/Media
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UCC awards celebrate excellence in research and innovation
Waeber, C., Nyhan, M., O'Neill, C., Cryan, J. F., O'Neill, M., Costello, E., Timmons, S., Holmes, J. D., Murphy, G., Ryan, K., Rosell Cardona, C., Brady, P., de Sousa Gallagher, M. J., Jaeger, H. A., Cantillon-Murphy, P., O'Hare, D., O'Toole, P., Yensi Alejandra, F. B., Alshaikh, R., Chakravarty, D., Palmer, B., Browne, O., Walter, J. & Hennessy, T.
28/05/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
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Ireland’s first all-island prison education toolkit launched
McSweeney, P., O'Neill, M. & Swirak, K.
30/04/26
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
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Clodagh Finn: Walking women back into the fabric of our cities
15/03/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
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Plan for prison expansion is a bad idea
O'Sullivan, C., Donson, F., O'Neill, M., Lynch, O., Swirak, K., Williams, S., Windle, J. & Kilkelly, U.
18/04/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media