Michelle Brown

Michelle Brown is a Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of the Appalachian Justice Research Center at the University of Tennessee (College of Arts & Sciences). Her work bridges criminology, sociolegal studies, and media analysis with a focus on carceral systems, abolitionist frameworks, and transformative justice. She holds a joint PhD in Criminal Justice and American Studies from Indiana University (2003).

Research Interests
Dr. Brown’s research interrogates the rise of the carceral state, mass incarceration resistance, and media’s role in shaping punitive narratives. She specializes in visual criminology, feminist perspectives, and the intersection of law & society. Her work emphasizes community safety alternatives and racialized justice systems.

Key Publications
Her notable works include The Culture of Punishment (NYU Press, 2009), co-edited volumes like The Routledge International Handbook of Visual Criminology (2017), and influential articles in Punishment & Society, Crime Media Culture, and Journal of Law & Political Economy.

Awards & Recognition
Recipient of the 2016 Critical Criminologist of the Year award. Her work has been translated into multiple languages and influences public discourse through platforms like Social Justice journal and the Oxford Encyclopedia of Crime, Media, and Popular Culture.

Labs & Initiatives
Founder of the Appalachian Justice Research Lab, which investigates regional justice systems and mobilizes community-driven solutions. Her research often collaborates with Indigenous and marginalized communities in Appalachia.