Canada Research Chairs | Queen's Research Chairs

Dr. David Lyon

Queen’s Research Chair
Dept. of Sociology

 Dr. David Lyon is the Director of the Queen’s Surveillance Project, a multidisciplinary, internationally collaborative research program that is at the forefront of surveillance studies in the world. He is regarded as a pioneer in developing the emerging sub-discipline of surveillance studies. His many books and articles (which have been translated into over a dozen languages) have been very influential with academics from political science, history, philosophy, psychology and geography to criminology and information technology studies. With a reputation for being very well informed, remarkably fluent and easy to read, and with high scholarly standards, Dr. Lyon’s reputation in the sociologies of surveillance in contemporary societies is unequalled.

Dr. Lyon’s research explores how routine, everyday “surveillance” in Canada and around the world raises questions about civil liberties, privacy and social inclusion. In the post 9/11 world, Dr. Lyon’s research is socially relevant and practically important. At a time when personal information is highly valuable to governments and corporations for convenience, efficiency and safety, consumers and citizens often become complacent about the proliferation and security of their personal data.

From “soft” surveillance such as supermarket loyalty cards to “harder” forms such as video-surveillance, location tracking systems or national ID cards, Lyon’s work demonstrates that “social sorting” is always involved, and always has consequences for persons whose data are processed. Using a combination of theoretical, empirical and cross-national comparative approaches, Dr. Lyon’s research identifies the ramifications of processing personal data in computer networks, and encourages the development of policies and practices that respect civil liberties and privacy and pursue social justice.

The Surveillance Project is highly collaborative, and encourages international participation to enhance the comparative nature of the analysis. Under Lyon’s leadership and management of this complex and multi-site initiative, the Project has attracted highly significant research funding, providing essential support for training the next generation of social scientists. Graduate students, both registered and visiting, are currently drawn from Japan, Turkey, China, Italy and the Netherlands, and Dr. Lyon’s work integrates them into an international network of surveillance researchers.

Dr. Lyon works closely with public agencies such as the federal Privacy Commission and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to examine new surveillance technologies and programs. He is the co-editor of Surveillance and Society, an on-line refereed journal, and is on the editorial boards of several major international journals. In addition to a heavy teaching load, including introductory sociology and a busy research program, Dr. Lyon is actively engaged as a visiting scholar and keynote speaker around the world.

Click here to visit the Department of Sociology web site.

Click here to visit the Surveillance Project web site