James Connor

Associate Professor James Connor serves as an Integrity Coordinator and Academic in the School of Business at UNSW Canberra. A sociologist specializing in the intersection of culture, social action, and change, his research focuses on understanding cultural influences on negative behaviors in military and sports contexts and how these might be changed. He has been funded by various organizations including the Australian Research Council and anti-doping agencies to explore intransigent problems of behavior in organizations.

Professor Connor's primary research areas span military sociology, sports ethics, organizational behavior, and cultural studies. His work examines institutional abuse in the military, doping in sports, gender dynamics, and organizational reform. A consistent theme across his research is the investigation of how cultural norms shape problematic behaviors and the development of novel theoretical frameworks to address these issues. His approach combines sociological theory with practical applications for organizational change, particularly in high-stakes environments like the military and professional sports.

Connor's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a clear focus on military institutional abuse, veteran mental health, and suicide prevention. His work has made significant contributions to understanding the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide findings, with particular attention to how institutional cultures contribute to trauma and self-harm. He has also published extensively on integrity in public services, gender integration in the military, and substance use across different professional contexts. His research consistently bridges theoretical insights with practical policy recommendations for organizational reform.

Professor Connor has secured research funding from multiple sources, including the Australian Research Council project 'Institutional Abuse and Organisational Reform in the ADF' (with A/Prof Wadham, $127k). He has also received funding from Australian and World anti-doping agencies to investigate the cultural and social factors influencing athlete doping behaviors. His research methodology often involves qualitative approaches to understand complex organizational dynamics and cultural influences on individual behavior.