Liam Francis Gearon (BA, Hons, MA, MPhil, Cert He, PhD, FHEA, FRSA, Docent) is Associate Professor in Religious Education in the Department of Education, Senior Research Fellow at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford; Docent, University of Helsinki, Finland; Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the School of Education, University of Birmingham, UK; Conjoint Professor at Newcastle University, Australia; Visiting Professor at the Irish Centre for Catholic Studies, MIC, Limerick, Ireland; Extraordinary Professor, North-West University, South Africa.

Liam Francis Gearon is Founder-Convenor of the Philosophy, Religion, Education Research Group, providing  a unique interdisciplinary contribution to the research culture of the Department of Education at the University of Oxford. The Philosophy, religion and education Research Group specifically forges theoretical and empirical interconnections between the arts, humanities, philosophy and the social sciences through the common focus of education. Contributions of this research group have been made to matters such as: theories of research policy and impact; the cultural value of research in the arts and humanities; research ethics; the intersection of epistemological and ethical domains in research in schools; religion, radicalisation and counter-terrorism in schools and universities; and the creation of distinctive sub-field of study at the interface of education, security and intelligence studies.

A specialist in the interdisciplinary study of religion in education, and particularly noted for the systematic philosophical and history of ideas analysis on the epistemological foundations of religious education, his framing of the paradigms of religion in education – scriptural-theological; phenomenological; psychological-experiential; philosophical-conceptual; social-cultural; political-historical – has contributed new insights to secularisation theory in numerous, some award-winning, monographs, such as MasterClass in Religious Education (Gearon, 2013); On Holy Ground (Gearon, 2015) [2016 Society of Education Studies Book Prize]; Religious Authority and the Arts: Conversations in Political Theology (Gearon, 2015); and State Religious Education and the State of the Religious Life (Gearon and Prud’homme, 2018).

His theorisations of the politicisation and securitisation of religion in education have been the subject of intense international debate for several years. Landmark publications on security in education – ‘The Counter-Terrorist Classroom’ (2013); ‘The Counter-Terrorist Classroom’ (2017); ‘Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Policy and Research in UK Universities’ (2018): ‘Research Ethics in the Securitised University’ (Gearon and Parsons, 2019) and ‘The Kill Chain’ (Gearon, 2020) – have enabled empirical, methodological and theoretical advances on elites’ theory, the ethics of security and radicalisation research (Gearon and Kuusisto, 2018; Kuusisto and Gearon, 2017; Benjamin, Gearon, Kuusisto, Koirikivi, 2021).

With cognate research interests in security across all phases of education, Liam has over a decade collaboratively developed an interdisciplinary sub-field at the boundary of universities, security and intelligence studies, including research ethics in the securitised university (Gearon and Parsons, 2019). One of the defining outcomes here is Liam’s quarter of a million-word edited collection arising from the international Colloquium at Oriel College he convened in 2017, the Routledge International Handbook of Universities, Security and Intelligence Studies (Gearon, 2019). Interdisciplinary and inter-agency work in this area has included the Nuffield Foundation funded Universities and National Security: Research and Policy Collaborations 2019-2020, with a cross-disciplinary research team of 14 distinguished Co-Investigators.

With a significant Academy of Finland research grant (2018-2022) with Arniika Kuusisto (Stockholm/Helsinki/ Oxford), we oversee the research of two highly productive early career, post-doctoral researchers on radicalisation. This includes notable social and policy impacts such as the development of a national strategy around extremism through education for the Ministry of Justice in Finland (Activities | Growing up radical? | University of Helsinki). With substantial quantitative and qualitative data gathered, the project has already produced a substantial number of quality research outputs (Publications | Growing up radical? | University of Helsinki).

With a doctorate in English literature, Liam has also drawn on arts and humanities theoretical knowledge and methodological approaches to advance what are now intense cross-disciplinary debates around ‘decolonising the curriculum’ in religious education. From a series of foundational papers addressing the relationship between religious education and postcolonial theory – Gearon (2001a) ‘The Imagined Other: Postcolonial Theory and Religious Education’; Gearon (2001b) ‘A Spirituality of Dissent: Religion, Culture and Postcolonial Criticism’; Gearon (2002a) ‘Human Rights and Religious Education: Some Postcolonial Perspectives’ – he has recently led an international team (UK, Finland, Sweden, South Africa) as Guest Editor of the British Journal of Religious Education, for a high profile special issue on religion and education in postcolonial context (Gearon, Kuusisto, Matemba, Benjamin, Du Preez, Koirikivi, and Simmonds, 2020).

As Principal Investigator, Liam has led funded research projects with the Academy of Finland, the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust, the Nuffield Foundation, the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain, and the Society for Educational Studies, a career total of funding exceeding £5,000,000, including a £4.5 million grant to establish a centre for citizenship and human rights at the University of Surrey Roehampton.

Doctoral supervision and Graduate teaching

 PGCE Religious Education (Subject lead)

  • Masters in Learning and Teaching (Subject lead)
  • Comparative and International Education

EXTERNAL POSTS

2020- Docent, Helsinki University, Finland

2020- Extraordinary Professor, Faculty of Education, North-West University, South Africa

2019-2021 Visiting Professor, Irish Institute of Catholic Studies, MIC, Limerick, Ireland

2012-2020 Conjoint Professor, Newcastle University, Australia

2019-2023 Honorary Senior Research Fellow, School of Education, University of Birmingham

 

PREVIOUS EXTERNAL POSTS

2011-2018, Adjunct Professor, Australian Catholic University, Australia

2010-2011, Visiting Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Plymouth

2008-2010, Research Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Plymouth

2006-2008, Professor of Education, University of Roehampton

2000-2006, Reader in Education, University of Surrey Roehampton

2006-2008, Senior Fellow, Centre of Excellence in Human Rights, University of Surrey Roehampton

2005-2008, Vice-President, International Human Rights Education Consortium, New York, USA

2001-2005, Director, Centre for Research in Human Rights, University of Surrey, Roehampton

1996-2000, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Roehampton, London

 

UK RESEARCH COUNCIL PEER REVIEW COLLEGES

AHRC Expert Group on Covid Research Group and Research Grant Panel ‘Introducer’

AHRC Peer Review College (2019 Gold Standard award, for ‘Recognition of significant contributions to the AHRC Peer Review College’)

ESRC Peer Review College

Universities UK Peer Review College Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)

 

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL PEER REVIEWER

Academy of Finland

Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

EU 7th Framework Program for Research
Hong Kong Research Grants Council’s Public Policy Research Fund (PPR)

Irish Research Council

John Templeton Foundation

National Research Foundation, South Africa

 

PROFESSIONAL AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATIONS

Association of University Lecturers in Religion and Education (AULRE, co-founder and former Chair)

British Educational Research Association (BERA)

European Educational Research Association (EERA)

International Seminar on Religious Education and Values (ISREV)

Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB)

Society for Research in Higher Education (SRHE)
Society for Educational Studies (SES)

Also:

Executive (2019-2022) Oxford Intelligence Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford

Fellow, Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)

Cambridge Intelligence Seminar

 

OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES AT OXFORD

Elected by Congregation to the University of Oxford Prevent Steering Group

Social Sciences Divisional representative of the Permanent Private Halls Supervisory Committee (PPHSC), a senior committee of the University of Oxford overseeing governance of Blackfriars; Campion Hall; Regent’s Park College; St Benet’s; St Stephen’s House; Wycliffe Hall.

Member, Central University Research Ethics Committee (CUREC)

Chair, Department of Education Research Ethics Committee (DREC)

Member, Inter-Divisional Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Committee (IDREC)

Chair, Bodleian Library Education Committee

Member and occasional Chair Social Sciences Divisional Library Committee

Education Advisory Group, Christ Church College, Oxford

 

EDITORSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS

Gearon, L. (Guest editor) (2021) Literature and Security, Special Issue, Text Matters: A Journal of Literature, Theory and Culture, with a planned formal launch at Lodz, Poland.

Gearon, L., (Lead Guest Editor with editorial team) Kuusisto, A., Matemba, Y., Benjamin, S., Du Preez, P., Koirikivi, P., Simmonds, S. (2020) Decolonising the Religious Education Curriculum: International Perspectives in Theory, Research, and Practice, Special Issue, British Journal of Religious Education.

Gearon, L. (Guest Editor) (2019) Special Issue of Religions 10 (1) on Religion, Security, Education.

Gearon, L. and Williams, E. (Guest Editors) (2019) Special Issue of the British Journal of Educational Studies, Writers and their Education, 67 (3), 283–289.

Gearon, L. and Williams, E. (Guest Editors) (2018) Special Issue of Journal of Philosophy of Education on Philosophy, Literature and Education, 52 (4), 577-777.

Gearon, L. (Guest Editor) (2015) British Journal of Educational Studies, Special Issue, Education, Security and Intelligence Studies, 63 (3) 263-411.

Tirri, K., (Finland) Campbell, E. (Canada), Gearon, L. (UK), Lovat, T. (Australia) (Guest Editors) (2012) The Moral Core of Teaching, Education Research International.

Gearon, L. (Guest Editor) (2008) Citizenship, Human Rights and Religion, British Journal of Religious Education, 30 (2) 93-108.

Gearon, L. (Guest Editor) (2006) Children’s Spirituality and Children’s Rights, International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 11 (2) 193-310.

Research

Books
  • Gearon, L., Kuusisto, A., Poulter, S., Toom, A., & Ubani, M. (2023). Religion and Worldviews in Education: The New Watershed (pp. 1-246). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696

  • Gearon, L. (Ed.). (2019). The Routledge International Handbook of Universities, Security and Intelligence Studies (p. 546). Routledge. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0cc41c1e-518a-49f0-970a-14bdd7d4f6df
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:0cc41c1e-518a-49f0-970a-14bdd7d4f6df

  • Gearon, L., & Prud’homme, J. (2018). State Religious Education and the State of Religious Life. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

  • Gearon, L. (2015). Religious authority and the arts: Conversations in political theology (pp. 1-286). https://doi.org/10.3726/978-1-4539-1641-4
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3726/978-1-4539-1641-4

  • Gearon, L. (2014). Introduction (p. xii - xiii).

  • Gearon, L. (2014). Learning to teach citizenship in the secondary school: A companion to school experience: Third edition (pp. 1-344). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315745794
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315745794

  • Gearon, L. (2013). Education in the United Kingdom Structures and Organisation. Routledge.

  • Gearon, L. (2013). MasterClass in Religious Education: Transforming Teaching and Learning. Bloomsbury.

  • Gearon, L., & Runcie, K. (2013). Christianity. Macmillan.

  • Gearon, L. (2013). On holy ground: The theory and practice of religious education (pp. 1-217). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203117576
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203117576

  • Gearon, L., & Naval, C. (2013). Foreword (p. ix - xiv).

  • Gearon, L. (2012). Introduction (pp. 1-4). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-936-7
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6091-936-7

  • Gearon, L. (2011). Contemporary Issues in Human Rights Education. UNESCO.

  • Engebretson, K., Souza, M., Durka, G., & Gearon, L. (2010). International Handbook of Inter-religious Education. Springer.

  • Arthur, J., Gearon, L., & Sears, A. (2010). Education, Politics and Religion: Reconciling the Civil and the Sacred in Education (pp. 1-160). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203846575
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203846575

  • Gearon, L. (2010). The Religious Education Handbook. DfE and Religious Education Council for England and Wales.

  • Gearon, L. (2009). Learning to teach citizenship in the secondary school: A companion to school experience: Second edition (pp. 1-248). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561

  • Gearon, L. (2009). Introduction (pp. 1-3). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561

  • Gearon, L. (2006). A Practical Guide to Teaching Citizenship in the Secondary School. Routledge.

  • Gearon, L. (2006). Freedom of expression and human rights historical, literary and political contexts. Sussex Academic Pr.

  • Gearon, L., & Hayes, M. (2006). Contemporary Catholic Theology: A Reader (Russian Edition) (pp. 1-514).

  • Gearon, L. (2004). Brother Roger and the Story of Taize. SCM.

  • Gearon, L. (2004). A Noble Life The Story of Aung San Suu Kyi.

  • Gearon, L. (2003). Learning to teach citizenship in the secondary school: A companion to school experience (pp. 1-285). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812

  • Gearon, L. (2003). The Human Rights Handbook A Global Perspective for Education. Stylus Publishing, LLC.

  • Gearon, L. (2003). Citizenship Through Secondary Religious Education (pp. 1-190). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203380758
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203380758

  • Chaplain, M., & Gearon, L. (2002). Contemporary Catholic Education. Gracewing Publishing.

  • Gearon, L. (2002). Human Rights & Religion A Reader. Sussex Academic Press.

  • Gearon, L. (2002). Landscapes of Encounter: The Portrayal of Catholicism in the Novels of Brian Moore (pp. 3-20). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781552383803-003
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781552383803-003

  • Gearon, L. (2001). Pope John Paul II. SCM.

  • Gearon, L. (1999). English Literature, Theology and the Curriculum. Bloomsbury Publishing.

  • Hayes, M., & Gearon, L. (1999). Contemporary Catholic Theology A Reader. Continuum.

  • Gearon, L., & Hayes, M. (1998). Contemporary Catholic Theology: A Reader (pp. 1-514). Gracewing.

  • Gearon, L. (1998). A Modern Martyr: The Story of Oscar Romero. SCM.

  • Book chapters
  • Gearon, L., Kuusisto, A., Poulter, S., Toom, A., & Ubani, M. (2023). Religion and Worldviews in Education. In Religion and Worldviews in Education (pp. 1-14). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-1
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-1

  • Gearon, L. (2023). Worldviews and World Government. In Religion and Worldviews in Education (pp. 17-35). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-3
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-3

  • Ubani, M., Toom, A., Poulter, S., Kuusisto, A., & Gearon, L. (2023). Watershed Revisited. In Religion and Worldviews in Education: the New Watershed (pp. 236-240). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-20
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-20

  • Gearon, L., Kuusisto, A., Poulter, S., Toom, A., & Ubani, M. (2023). Religion and Worldviews in Education: The Subterranean Territory. In Religion and Worldviews in Education: the New Watershed (pp. 1-13). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-1
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-1

  • Gearon, L. (2023). Worldviews and World Government: The Civil Religion of State Religious Education. In Religion and Worldviews in Education: the New Watershed (pp. 17-35). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-3
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003265696-3

  • Gearon, L. (2023). The Totalitarian Imagination Revisited: State Religious Education at the ‘Worldviews’ Watershed. In Reimagining the Landscape of Religious Education: Challenges and Opportunities (pp. 217-233). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20133-2_14
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20133-2_14

  • Gearon, L., Benjamin, S., Itkonen, T., Kallioniemi, A., & Kuusisto, A. (2022). RELIGION AND WORLDVIEWS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE: Eight Parameters for Ethical Research. In The Routledge International Handbook of the Place of Religion in Early Childhood Education and Care (pp. 178-193). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003017783-14
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003017783-14

  • Gearon, L., & Kuusisto, A. (2022). The Place of Religion in Early Childhood Education and Care. In The Routledge International Handbook of the Place of Religion in Early Childhood Education and Care (pp. 19-33). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003017783-2
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003017783-2

  • Gearon, L. (2020). Lessons from Dystopia: The Security of Nations and the Securitized Citizen. In The Palgrave Handbook of Citizenship and Education (pp. 965-981). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67828-3_47
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67828-3_47

  • Gearon, L. (2020). SUPPLEMENTARY National security and intelligence - outreach, commentary, critique: a global survey of official, policy and academic sources. In ROUTLEDGE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF UNIVERSITIES, SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE STUDIES (pp. 453-524).

  • Gearon, L. (2020). THE UNIVERSITY-SECURITY- INTELLIGENCE NEXUS Four domains. In ROUTLEDGE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF UNIVERSITIES, SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE STUDIES (pp. 7-77).

  • Gearon, L. (2020). A LANDSCAPE OF LIES IN THE LAND OF LETTERS The literary cartography of security and intelligence. In ROUTLEDGE INTERNATIONAL HANDBOOK OF UNIVERSITIES, SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE STUDIES (pp. 435-451).

  • Kangas, J., Harju-Luukkainen, H., Brotherus, A., Kuusisto, A., & Gearon, L. (2019). Playing to learn in Finland: Early childhood curricular and operational contexts. In Policification of Early Childhood Education and Care: Early Childhood Education in the 21st Century Vol III (pp. 71-85).

  • GEARON, L. (2019). The university-security-intelligence nexus: Four domains. In The Routledge International Handbook of Universities, Security and Intelligence Studies. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203702086
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203702086

  • Gearon, L. (2019). The Politicization and Securitization of Religion in Education A Response to a Rejoinder. In PUBLIC THEOLOGY PERSPECTIVES ON RELIGION AND EDUCATION (pp. 211-227).

  • Gearon, L. (2016). Global human rights. In The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice (pp. 205-228). https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51507-0_10
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51507-0_10

  • Llewellin, S., & Gearon, L. (2014). Planning lessons and schemes of work in citizenship. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A companion to school experience: Third edition (pp. 104-119).

  • West, L., & Gearon, L. (2014). Developing subject knowledge in citizenship. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A companion to school experience: Third edition (pp. 68-85).

  • Gearon, L. (2014). Politics and pedagogy: Citizenship beyond the classroom. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A companion to school experience: Third edition (pp. 149-155).

  • Gearon, L. (2014). Citizenship: Making links with religious education. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A companion to school experience: Third edition (pp. 209-220).

  • Gearon, L. (2013). Education and religious authority: Six benchmark questions for framing an enquiry. In The Routledge International Handbook of Education, Religion and Values (pp. 311-325). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203387870
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203387870

  • Gearon, L. (2013). Freedom and identity: Case study by Germany. In Images and Identity: Educating Citizenship Through Visual Arts (pp. 266-275).

  • Gearon, L. (2009). Politics and pedagogy: Citizenship beyond the classroom. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience: Second Edition (pp. 123-134). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561

  • Gearon, L. (2009). Citizenship making links with religious education. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience: Second Edition (pp. 185-198). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874561

  • Gearon, L. (2008). Religious Education and citizenship: A human rights approach. In LEARNING TO TEACH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL: A COMPANION TO SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, 2ND EDITION (pp. 211-222).

  • Gearon, L. (2005). The teaching of human rights in religious education: The case of genocide. In Education, Religion and Society: Essays in honour of John M. Hull (pp. 71-82). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203018187
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203018187

  • Gearon, L., Holness, M., & Mace, D. (2003). Mapping the complexities of citizenship. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience (pp. 73-99). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812

  • Gearon, L. (2003). Introduction. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812

  • Gearon, L., & Brown, M. (2003). Active participation in citizenship. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience (pp. 203-223). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812

  • Gearon, L. (2003). Developing schemes of work in citizenship. In Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience (pp. 153-176). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203417812

  • Journal articles
  • Benjamin, S., Koirikivi, P., Elliott, K., Gearon, L., Namdar, C., & Kuusisto, A. (2023). Anchors of belonging and the logics of othering of young Finns. JOURNAL OF YOUTH STUDIES. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2023.2271851
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2023.2271851

  • Koirikivi, P., Benjamin, S., Kuusisto, A., & Gearon, L. (2023). Values, lifestyles, and narratives of prejudices amongst Finnish youth. JOURNAL OF BELIEFS & VALUES-STUDIES IN RELIGION & EDUCATION, 44(1), 32-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2021.2010266
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2021.2010266

  • Benjamin, S., Koirikivi, P., Salonen, V., Gearon, L., & Kuusisto, A. (2023). Safeguarding social justice and equality: Exploring Finnish youths’ ’Intergroup Mindsets’ as a novel approach in the prevention of radicalization and extremism through education. EDUCATION CITIZENSHIP AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979221135845
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17461979221135845

  • Kangas, J., Harju-Luukkainen, H., Brotherus, A., Gearon, L., & Kuusisto, A. (2022). Outlining play and playful learning in Finland and Brazil: A content analysis of early childhood education policy documents. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 23(2), 153-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949120966104
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1463949120966104

  • Gearon, L. (2021). Religious education and the pandemic: postcolonial perspectives. British Journal of Religious Education, 43(1), 9-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2020.1810635
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2020.1810635

  • Gearon, L., Kuusisto, A., Matemba, Y., Benjamin, S., Du Preez, P., Koirikivi, P., & Simmonds, S. (2021). Decolonising the religious education curriculum. BRITISH JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, 43(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2020.1819734
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2020.1819734

  • Benjamin, S., Salonen, V., Gearon, L., Koirikivi, P., & Kuusisto, A. (2021). Safe Space, Dangerous Territory: Young People’s Views on Preventing Radicalization through Education-Perspectives for Pre-Service Teacher Education. EDUCATION SCIENCES, 11(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050205
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050205

  • Gearon, L. (2021). Editorial: Literature and Security. TEXT MATTERS-A JOURNAL OF LITERATURE THEORY AND CULTURE, 11(11), 17-34. https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-2931.11.02
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-2931.11.02

  • Koirikivi, P., Benjamin, S., Hietajarvi, L., Kuusisto, A., & Gearon, L. (2021). Resourcing resilience: educational considerations for supporting well-being and preventing violent extremism amongst Finnish youth. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH, 26(1), 553-569. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2021.2010578
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2021.2010578

  • Benjamin, S., Gearon, L., Kuusisto, A., & Koirikivi, P. (2021). Threshold of adversity: Resilience and the prevention of extremism through education. Nordic Studies in Education, 41(3), 201-218. https://doi.org/10.23865/NSE.V41.2593
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.23865/NSE.V41.2593

  • Gearon, L. (2020). The kill chain: Epistemologies and ethics in the securitized academy. Knowledge Cultures, 8(1), 26-47. https://doi.org/10.22381/kc8120203
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:cd0c28c2-cc61-4677-b9c0-7de0386e50aa

  • Gearon, L. (2020). "No Direction Home": The Life and Literature of Bob Dylan-From "Desolation Row" to the Nobel Prize. TEXT MATTERS-A JOURNAL OF LITERATURE THEORY AND CULTURE, 10(10), 166-181. https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-2931.10.10
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-2931.10.10

  • Gearon, L. (2019). Campus conspiracies: security and intelligence engagement with universities from Kent State to counter-terrorism. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 40(3), 284-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2019.1602804
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:a0a79f6f-5c0c-449b-b496-e2e8aebbb9ac

  • Gearon, L., & Wynne-Davies, M. (2019). Literature and security: CIA engagement in the arts. What philosophers of education need to know and why. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 52(4), 742-761. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12333
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:58d3e6fc-6146-4be6-a608-dfb3e4843687

  • Gearon, L. (2019). A very political philosophy of education: science fiction, schooling and social engineering in the life and work of H.G. Wells literary lives, political philosophies, public education. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 52(4), 762-777. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12334
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:96f0e404-b2bc-47e5-a296-d4ed0eea6874

  • Gearon, L., & Williams, E. (2019). Why is the relationship between philosophy and literature of significance for the philosophy of education?. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 52(4), 579-591. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12323
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ef52fcef-2422-48a3-9593-97b102ed085f

  • Gearon, L. (2019). Engineers of the human soul: readers, writers, and their political education. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 67(3), 389-406. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2019.1652243
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2019.1652243

  • Gearon, L., & Williams, E. (2019). WRITERS AND THEIR EDUCATION. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 67(3), 283-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2019.1643004
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2019.1643004

  • Gearon, L. (2019). Religion, Education, Security. RELIGIONS, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10050330
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10050330

  • Kuusisto, A., & Gearon, L. (2019). Why Teach about Religions? Perspectives from Finnish Professionals. RELIGIONS, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10060347
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10060347

  • Gearon, L. (2019). Securitisation theory and the securitised university: Europe and the nascent colonisation of global intellectual capital. Transformation in Higher Education, 4. https://doi.org/10.4102/the.v4i0.70
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/the.v4i0.70

  • Gearon, L. (2018). The Educational Sociology and Political Theology of Disenchantment: From the Secularization to the Securitization of the Sacred. Religions, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10010012
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ae29aca9-d7bb-4614-a58b-8cb34e4f847c

  • Gearon, L., & Parsons, S. (2018). Research ethics in the securitised university. Journal of Academic Ethics, 17(1), 73-93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-018-9317-2
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:241e5cc8-a887-4375-81e5-564c435ee4f9

  • Gearon, L., & Kuusisto, A. (2018). Researching religious authority in education: Political theology, elites’ theory and the double nexus. Power and Education, 10(1), 3-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/1757743818757256
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d65e9ab5-5c74-4fcc-9d1f-27e208a637b5

  • Gearon, L. (2018). Terrorism and counter-terrorism policy and research in UK universities (1997–2017): an analytic-structural review of the literature and related sources. Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 2(1), 32-60. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322969.2018.1424561
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:9df0d4b8-063f-4b66-aa9c-ea42755c2375

  • Niemi, P.-M., Benjamin, S., Kuusisto, A., & Gearon, L. (2018). How and Why Education Counters Ideological Extremism in Finland. RELIGIONS, 9(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9120420
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9120420

  • Gearon, L. (2017). Paradigm shift in religious education: a reply to Jackson, or why religious education goes to war. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 39(3), 358-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2017.1381438
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:39c36c41-ed4c-4521-81e9-6a7b48e81797

  • Gearon, L. (2017). Secularisation and the securitisation of the sacred a response to Lewin’s framing of the Gearon–Jackson debate. British Journal of Educational Studies, 65(4), 469-480. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2017.1363375
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:9fea95dc-a3de-49e7-8363-b19182343a5d

  • Gearon, L. (2017). The counter-terrorist campus: Securitisation theory and university securitisation – Three Models. Transformation in Higher Education, 2, 9-9. https://doi.org/10.4102/the.v2i0.13
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:344b6dc9-22e0-4652-8f08-db89fd36c69e

  • Kuusisto, S., & Gearon, L. (2016). The life trajectory of the Finnish religious educator. Religion & Education, 44(1), 39-53. https://doi.org/10.1080/15507394.2016.1272154
    https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d87b0fcb-ec2c-4803-b037-bc35943f6127

  • Gearon, L. (2015). EDUCATION, SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE STUDIES. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 63(3), 263-279. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2015.1079363
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2015.1079363

  • Gearon, L. (2015). Religious Education and the Challenge of Pluralism. JOURNAL OF CHURCH AND STATE, 57(3), 563-565. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csv051
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csv051

  • Gearon, L. (2014). Leadership and religious schools: international perspectives and challenges. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 62(4), 465-466. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2014.970791
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2014.970791

  • Gearon, L. (2013). Religion, Education and the State: An Unprincipled Doctrine in Search of Meanings. By Mark Strassner. British Journal of Educational Studies, 61(2), 260-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2013.768858
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2013.768858

  • Gearon, L. (2013). The Routledge international handbook of religious education. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 61(4), 491-492. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2013.843933
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2013.843933

  • Gearon, L. (2013). The Counter Terrorist Classroom: Religion, Education, and Security. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, 108(2), 129-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2013.767660
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2013.767660

  • Gearon, L. (2013). The King James Bible and the Politics of Religious Education: Secular State and Sacred Scripture. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, 108(1), 9-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2013.747838
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00344087.2013.747838

  • Tirri, K., Campbell, E., Gearon, L., & Lovat, T. (2012). The Moral Core of Teaching. Education Research International, 2012, 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/716268
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/716268

  • Gearon, L. (2012). EUROPEAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND EUROPEAN CIVIL RELIGION. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 60(2), 151-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2012.671929
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2012.671929

  • Gearon, L. (2010). Inspiring faith in schools: studies in religious education. JOURNAL OF MORAL EDUCATION, 39(1), 121-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240903542023
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240903542023

  • Gearon, L. (2008). Religion and education in Europe: Developments, contexts and debates. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 56(3), 351-353. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2008.00414_4.x
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2008.00414_4.x

  • Gearon, L., & (Guest Editor), . (2008). Special Issue: Citizenship, Human Rights and Religion. British Journal of Religious Education, 30(2).

  • Gearon, L. (2008). Spiritual education in a divided world: social, environmental and pedagogical perspectives on the spirituality of children and young people. JOURNAL OF MORAL EDUCATION, 37(1), 141-142.

  • Gearon, L. (2008). Religion, politics and pedagogy: historical contexts. BRITISH JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, 30(2), 93-102. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200701843833
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200701843833

  • Gearon, L. (2008). Freedom from repression: some thoughts on totalitarianism for religious, spiritual and citizenship/human rights education. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHILDRENS SPIRITUALITY, 13(1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360701834791
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360701834791

  • Gearon, L. (2006). Children’s spirituality and children’s rights. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 11(2), 193-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360600797115
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360600797115

  • Gearon, L., & (Guest Editor), . (2006). Special Issue: Children’s Spirituality and Children’s Rights. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 11(2).

  • Best, R., Castelli, M., Gearon, L., Johnson, H., & Rose, D. (2004). Transformative learning educational vision for the 21st century. Pastoral Care in Education, 22(3), 44-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0264-3944.2004.00303.x
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0264-3944.2004.00303.x

  • Gearon, L. (2004). Learning and teaching where worldviews meet. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 52(2), 208-210.

  • Gearon, L. (2004). Democratic education: Ethnographic challenges. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, 52(3), 328-330.

  • Gearon, L. (2002). Human rights and religious education: Some postcolonial perspectives. British Journal of Religious Education, 24(2), 140-151. https://doi.org/10.1080/0141620020240207
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0141620020240207

  • Gearon, L. (2001). A spirituality of dissent: Religion, culture and post-colonial criticism. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 6(3), 289-298. https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360120100469
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360120100469

  • Gearon, L. (2001). The imagined other: Postcolonial theory and religious education. British Journal of Religious Education, 23(2), 98-106. https://doi.org/10.1080/0141620010230204
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0141620010230204

  • Gearon, L. (1999). NATFHE religious studies section. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 20(1), 139-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767990200114
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767990200114

  • Gearon, L. (1998). No other life: Death and catholicism in the novels of brian moore. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 19(1), 33-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767980190103
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767980190103

  • Gearon, L. (1997). What’s the story?: Spirituality and writing. International Journal of Children’s Spirituality, 2(2), 41-52. https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436970020205
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436970020205

  • Gearon, L. (1997). Exploring the landscape of spiritual geography: Religious education, the environment and the child’s sense of identity and place. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 18(1), 69-82. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767970180108
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767970180108

  • Gearon, L. (1995). What is Metaphysics? Postmodern Hermeneutics and Religious Education. Journal of Beliefs & Values, 16(1), 7-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767950160102
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1361767950160102

  • Benjamin, S., Koirikivi, P., Gearon, L., & Kuusisto, A. (n.d.). Addressing Hostile Attitudes in and through Education—Transformative Ideas from Finnish Youth. Youth, 2(4), 556-569. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth2040040
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/youth2040040

  • Funded Research Projects

    • Universities and National Security: Research and Policy Collaborations
      2019-2020
    • European Identities in Times of Increasing Nationalism – Finland and the UK
      2019
    • Writers and their Education
      2018
    • Universities, Security and Intelligence Studies
      2017
    • Education, Security and Intelligence Studies.
      2016
    • Writers and their Dictators: Authors, Citizens, Educators
      2010-2012
    • Political Theologies: Responses of Religious Leaders and Authority Figures in England to Contemporary Issues of Freedom of Expression
    • UNESCO Human Rights, Religion and Intercultural Understanding
      2006-2011
    • The Role of Religion as a Freedom of Expression Campaign Issue in English PEN
      2008-2009
    • Education for Human Rights, Social Justice and Citizenship, UK Government Centres of Excellence Funding
      2005-2010