Dr Piotr Godzisz
Piotr Godzisz joined BCU in 2019, following appointments and consultancies with institutions and organisations such as the University of Warsaw, the OSCE, the Estonian Human Rights Centre and the Polish Police. He is an interdisciplinary scholar-activist who believes in engaged research and is passionate about bridging the gap between academia, civil society and the public sector.
Between September 2021 and August 2023, Piotr will be at the Université Libre de Bruxelles pursuing a post-doctoral research project funded by the MSCA-IF programme.
Areas of Expertise
- Hate crime and hate speech (particularly laws, policy and practice around the world)
- Human rights (particularly minority issues, discrimination, victims’ rights and serious human rights violations)
- Homophobia and nationalism in Central and Eastern Europe
- Social movements and transnational advocacy networks
- Europeanisation
- Qualitative research methods
Qualifications
- PhD in Criminology from University College London (full scholarship from the Bonnart Trust)
- MA in Political Science (summa cum laude) from University of Warsaw
Memberships
- Member of the advisory board of the International Network for Hate Crime (2016-2020)
Teaching
Piotr teaches across UG and PG Criminology modules, including:
- CRI4032 Policing, Investigation and Society
- CRI4036 Security Studies - the Essentials
- CRI5051 Intelligence and Security since 1945
- CRI5070 Beyond the Statistics: Researching Criminological Experiences (Module Leader)
- CRI6093 Human Rights in Theory and Practice (Module Leader)
Research
- ENTER: Diffusion of Laws Addressing Anti-LGBT Violence to South-East European Countries – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellow, Université Libre de Bruxelles (2021-2023)
- Principal Investigator in Call It Hate: Raising Awareness of Anti-LGBT Hate Crime – €1,034,497 from the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme of the European Commission (2018-2019)
- Principal Investigator in Come Forward: Empowering and Supporting Victims of Anti-LGBT Hate Crime – €874,760 from the Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme of the European Commission (2017-2018).
Postgraduate Supervision
- James Rubacki (Psychology) – LEARNING: Understanding the LGBTQ Teaching Row in Birmingham (PhD; 2021-2024; secondary supervisor)
Publications
Books & monographs
- 2020. Knut, Paweł, Piotr Godzisz, Anna Mazurczak, Małgorzata Mączka-Pacholak, Przemysław Czerwiński, and Anna Wójcik. Metodyka Pracy Adwokata i Radcy Prawnego w Sprawach o Przestępstwa z Nienawiści [Methodology of the Work of a Lawyer in Cases of Hate Crimes]. edited by Paweł Knut. Warszawa: CH Beck.
- 2019. Godzisz, Piotr and Giacomo Viggiani, eds. Awareness of Anti-LGBT Hate Crime in the European Union. Warsaw: Lambda Warsaw.
- 2018. Godzisz, Piotr and Giacomo Viggiani, eds. Running Through Hurdles: Obstacles in the Access to Justice for Victims of Anti-LGBTI Hate Crimes in Europe. Warsaw: Lambda Warsaw.
Journal articles
- 2020. Godzisz, Piotr and Mark Walters. “Hate crime: Mapping the boundaries”. Journal of the Law Society of Scotland 65(6):12-14.
- 2019. Godzisz, Piotr. “The Europeanization of Anti-LGBT Hate Crime Laws in the Western Balkans”. Crime, Law and Social Change 71(3):291–306.
- 2015. Godzisz, Piotr. “Racing Race: Should Sexual Orientation Be Protected by Hate Crime Laws? Lessons from Poland”. Think Pieces: A Journal of the Joint Faculty Institute of Graduate Studies, University College London 1(0) ‘UCLfacesRACEISM: Past, Present, Future’ 1(0):10–26.
Book chapters (selected)
- 2019. Mazurczak, Jacek, and Piotr Godzisz. “Divided or Unaware: Opinions on Anti-LGBT Hate Crimes in Poland.” Pp. 159–77 in Awareness of Anti-LGBT Hate Crime in the European Union, edited by P. Godzisz and G. Viggiani. Lambda Warsaw.
- 2019. Mazurczak, Jacek and Piotr Godzisz. “Haters and allies: Attitudes towards LGBT people as victims of crimes in 10 EU states”. in Awareness of Anti-LGBT Hate Crime in the European Union, edited by P. Godzisz and G. Viggiani. Lambda Warsaw.
- 2018. Godzisz, Piotr, and Marta Rawłuszko. “Responding to Anti-LGBT Hate Crimes in Poland: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back?” Pp. 221–43 in Running Through Hurdles: Obstacles in the Access to Justice for Victims of Anti-LGBTI Hate Crimes, edited by P. Godzisz and G. Viggiani. Lambda Warsaw.
- 2017. Godzisz, Piotr. ‘Ochrona Prawna Przed Przestępstwami Motywowanymi Uprzedzeniami Na Tle Orientacji Seksualnej, Niepełnosprawności, Tożsamości Płciowej i Wieku w Europie: Perspektywa Porównawcza [Legal Protection against Crimes Motivated by Bias Based on Sexual Orientation, Disability, Gender Identity and Age in Europe: A Comparative Perspective]’. Pp. 74–88 in Przestępstwa motywowane uprzedzeniami względem osób starszych, osób z niepełnosprawnościami, osób homoseksualnych i transpłciowych. Analiza i zalecenia [Crimes motivated by prejudice against the elderly, people with disabilities, homosexual and transgender persons. Analysis and recommendations] edited by A. Bodnar. Warsaw: Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights.
- 2016. Godzisz, Piotr and Dorota Pudzianowska. ‘Do Some Identities Deserve More Protection Than Others? The Case of Anti-LGB Hate Crime Laws in Poland’. in The Globalization of Hate: Internationalizing Hate Crime? edited by J. Schweppe and M. Walters. London: Oxford University Press.
Research reports (selected)
- 2021 Godzisz, Piotr. Anti-LGBT hate crime in Poland. Written Comments in the case Bednarek and Others against Poland (application no. 58207/14) | Amicus Curiae submitted to the European Court of Human Rights.
- 2018. Godzisz, Piotr and Paweł Knut, eds. LGBTI Rights in Poland. Measures to Combat Discrimination and Violence on Grounds of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics. Warsaw: Lambda Warsaw | Report submitted to the Council of Europe.
- 2018. Król, Agnieszka, Aneta Bilnicka, Marcin Rodzinka, Piotr Godzisz, and Mirosława Makuchowska. Intersections between Disabilities and Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics: The Situation in Poland. Warsaw: KPH | Report submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
- 2016. Wąsik, Mateusz and Piotr Godzisz. Hate Crime in Poland 2012-2016, edited by P. Godzisz, Warsaw: Lambda Warsaw | Report submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council; listed as a resource on country conditions by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada).
- 2016. Warso, Zuzanna and Piotr Godzisz. Information on the Recent Challenges Faced by Human Rights Defenders and Civil Society in Poland, Warsaw: Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights | Report submitted to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Security of Human Rights Defenders).
- 2016. Godzisz, Piotr, Paweł Knut, and Magdalena Świder. Submission to ODIHR Hate Crime Reporting 2015. Warsaw: Lambda Warsaw | Report submitted to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights).
Media Work
Piotr has been interviewed by the British and international media outlets, including The Guardian, The Financial Times, Newsweek, Slate and Radio France.