Professor Gordon Lynch

About

Gordon has worked as Michael Ramsey Professor of Modern Theology at Kent since 2011. His research interests cross both the humanities and the social sciences and focus particularly on the role of moral  meanings in society. More recently these interests have led him to focus on the role of moral meanings in the work of organisations who have been involved in the separation of children from their birth families or home communities, as well as wider cases of historic institutional abuse. As part of this work, he has undertaken extensive research on the history of UK child migration programmes and served as an expert witness to both the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. He has also undertaken a range of public engagement and impact projects with museums, musicians, think-tanks and other third sector organisations. He is currently leading a major AHRC-funded project exploring issues of abuse across a range of religious communities and settings.
Gordon has long-standing experience as a doctoral supervisor and in developing doctoral training programmes - including two national initiatives funded by the AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Training scheme. His former doctoral students have gone on to work in a range of settings, including in permanent research positions at leading research-intensive universities. His national research leadership experience includes serving as the chair for sub-panel 31 Theology and Religious Studies for REF2021.
As Director of the Graduate and Researcher College, Gordon has responsibility for strategic oversight and management of all the College's portfolio of work with postgraduate students and academic researchers.