Chris Wakefield

Chris Wakefield is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Whitman College, specializing in the intersection of sexuality, law, and social control. Their research spans topics including sex work, criminology, legal studies, and LGBTQ+ experiences in criminal justice systems.

• PhD in Sociology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2023)
• MA in Sociology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2017)
• BA in Sociology with focus on LGBTQ+ studies, Syracuse University (2010)

Wakefield's research examines how formal and informal social control mechanisms regulate sexual behaviors, identities, and relationships. Their work includes empirical studies on sex offender registries, legal/illegal sex work dynamics, and health disparities affecting transgender and intersex communities. Key methods include qualitative and quantitative approaches to social science.

Recent publications focus on digital-era sex work, legal brothel impacts, and marginalized sexual/gender identities within carceral systems. Wakefield's scholarship contributes to debates on punishment, law and society, and sexual/gender deviance.