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Christopher T. Conner

Assistant Professor of Sociology at University of Missouri-Columbia

Researching intersections of Deviance and Criminology, Subcultures, LGBTQ Studies, and Science and Technology

ChrisConner Headshot

Featured Publications

New Release

Conspiracy Theories and Extremism in New Times

Conspiracy Theories and Extremism in New Times outlines a cadre of alt-right groups, conspiracy theories, and other forms of stigmatized knowledge threatening our society. In an era dominated by the pervasive influence of social media, the scholarly gaze has often overlooked the ways far-right factions leverage these platforms to propagate anti-democratic ideologies. From the denial of the moon landing to the enigmatic labyrinth of QAnon, and a myriad of other alt-right groups in between, this anthology presents a compelling case for the continued relevancy of the Frankfurt School of Critical Social Theory. Uncover the intricate web connecting these ideologies to everyday life, and arm yourself with the critical insights needed to navigate the turbulent currents of our modern socio-political landscape.

Conspiracy Theories in New Times Book Cover

use code LXANDF30 for 30% off

New in Paperback

Electronic Dance Music

Published in 2023, Electronic Dance Music: From Deviant Subculture to Culture Industry explores the subculture's emergence as a deviant subculture. This text analyzes how industry professionals, fans, and public officials helped usher in a new age of EDM, arguing that while the defining feature of the subculture made it attractive, they also laid the foundation for outsiders to commodify the movement as a culture industry. Conner and Dickens explore the concept of "commodified resistance" as the mechanism by which the movement's politically dissident features were removed and its place as a multi-billion dollar industry was made possible. Out now from Rowman and Littlefield, use AUTH30 for 30% off at checkout at the publisher's website.

Electronic Dance Music Front Cover

Recent Publications

Article

QAnon, authoritarianism, and conspiracy within American alternative spiritual spaces

Research Article

How Sexual Racism and Other Discriminatory Behaviors are Rationalized in Online Dating Apps

Research Article

The Perfect Storm: A Subcultural Analysis of the QAnon Movement

Research Article

Are You A Werewolf? Teaching Symbolic Interaction Theory through Game Play

Research Article

Queer Expectations: An Empirical Critique or Rural LGBT+ Narratives

Research Article

Electronic Dance Music: From Spectacular Subculture to Culture Industry

About

ChrisConner Headshot w/ Leather Jacket

Christopher T. Conner Assistant Professor of Sociology at The University of Missouri, Columbia. His research is at the intersection of criminology/deviance, social movements, technology, gender and sexuality, and social theory.

Currently, Dr. Conner is working on several projects exploring the social dynamics of the digital world. His latest work examines cybercrime, online fraud, and deception. In 2024 alone, deception scams--including romance fraud, business email compromise, and other tactics--defrauded U.S. victims of $16.6 Billion, a 33% increase from 2023 (FBI IC3). This research builds on his broader investigation into how large-scale technolgocial shifts have transformed human interaction. He has analyzed this process for dating apps like Grindr, to music subcultures, and more recently far-right groups and conspiracists.

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Chris' work has been featured in a variety of outlets including Critical Sociology, YOUNG: Journal of Nordic Youth Culture, The Sociological Quarterly, Deviant Behavior, Symbolic Interaction, and Sexualities. He is a semi-regular contributor to Salon and The Conversation, and has been interviewed by a variety of national news outlets. He has also co-edited numerous anthologies including  The Spectacle of Online Life (In Production), The Gayborhood: From Sexual Liberation to Cosmopolitan Spectacle, Forgotten Founders and Other Neglected Social Theorists, and Studies in Symbolic Interaction: Subcultures.

 

Dr. Conner is the 2023 recipient of The Kathy Charmez Early in Career Award given by The Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction, and was also the Mizzou honorary men's basketball coach Spring 2025.  His book Conspiracy Theories and Extremism in New Times won a Choice Books Recommendation.

VIDEO

Chris Conner, PhD, MU Dept. of Sociology, "Crimes, Conspiracies and QAnon"

Paul Pepper: Chris Conner, PhD, MU Dept. of Sociology, "Crimes, Conspiracies and QAnon"

Interesting and wide-ranging conversation with first-time guest CHRIS CONNER, PhD, MU Department of Sociology, about why people commit crimes, internet culture, the #QAnon movement and more! 

AUGUST 8, 2022

Student Feedback

“The professor was one of the best teachers I have ever had. He was very flexible and helpful no matter what the situation was. He knew this wasn't our number one priority all the time, so he utilized class presentations extremely well. I was very impressed with him.”

Criminology SOCIOL 3600

Fall 2021

Edited Volumes & Anthologies

The Gayborhood: From Sexual Liberation to Cosmopolitan Spectacle (edited with Daniel Okamura)

Forgotten Founders and Other Neglected Social Theorists (edited with Nicholas M. Baxter and David R. Dickens)

Subcultures (Studies in Symbolic Interaction Book 54)

Book Series

Series Book Cover

Nature, Neoliberalism, and New Materialisms

The Frankfurt School in New Times

This series focuses on the contemporary significance of the work of the Frankfurt School of critical theory. While almost one hundred years have passed since it was first established, the work of the members of the Frankfurt School is today highly relevant for the analysis and understanding of a broad range of contemporary issues. Just as in the period when the original members of the Frankfurt school were conducting their work, we now face a series of complex challenges due to the number of large-scale historical changes. Many of these are the result of new technologies that, rather than leading to emancipation, have resulted in new forms of domination and divisiveness. ​​

 

The books published in the series addresses this broad range of concern by employing and updating the work of the Frankfurt School. In so doing we hope to produce a body of work that makes both a theoretical and substantive contribution to the analysis of contemporary social life. We thus invite submissions from those who exemplify Marx’s observation that, “the philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however is to change it.” Moreover, because of the complexity of issues that we face, we welcome approaches that combine other frameworks with the Frankfurt School to create a more robust understanding of the social world. ​

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Email Chris Conner (chris.conner@missouri.edu) and Courtney Morales (courtney.morales@bloomsbury.com) if you're interested in proposing a monograph or edited volume for the series. ​

Public Sociology

Op-Ed

Especially this year, Kansas City Pride is a Celebration of Joy

OP-ED

New Year's Eve circuit parties go on despite COVID-19 travel concerns

Article

Queer in the country: Why some LGBTQ Americans prefer rural life to urban ‘gayborhoods’

Commentary

Discriminating tastes: Why academia must tackle its "race science" problem

Voices

Are We Swiping Right on Loneliness? Time to  log off and reclaim real connections

Article

How gay men justify their racism on Grindr

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