Frank van Gemert

Frank van Gemert serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Criminology within the Faculty of Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with additional appointments at A-LAB and the Empirical and Normative Studies research group. His academic profile centers on interdisciplinary criminological research integrating biography, martial arts studies, and social dynamics, particularly examining Dutch kickboxing culture and its historical connections to criminal networks.

His research explores the interplay between crime, biography, and social mobility through narrative analysis and qualitative methods. Key focus areas include occupational careers within martial arts subcultures, gang dynamics, and resocialization processes in forensic psychiatric care. Recent work investigates how personal stories shape criminal trajectories and rehabilitation outcomes, with significant attention to Dutch kickboxing's turbulent evolution and its entanglement with criminal organizations.

Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications reveals cohesive interdisciplinary patterns bridging criminology, sociology, and sports studies. Articles consistently examine power structures in martial arts communities, narrative approaches to criminal rehabilitation, and socio-historical analyses of combat sports. The research demonstrates methodological rigor in biographical analysis while addressing contemporary issues in crime and culture.

Dr. van Gemert actively contributes to academic discourse through editorial roles for Tijdschrift over Cultuur & Criminaliteit as reviewer and guest editor, along with frequent conference participation and public lectures on criminal biographies. His teaching includes advanced qualitative research methods in criminology.

Affiliated with A-LAB and the Empirical and Normative Studies group, he engages in collaborative research examining law-society interactions through empirical and theoretical frameworks. These affiliations support his investigation of crime through cultural, biographical, and organizational lenses.