Personal profile
Research interests
- Forensic Linguistics
- Stylistics (incl. discourse analysis)
- Pragmatics
- Reader-response
- Social justice
Biography
I am an applied linguist specialising in forensic texts and contexts. My work includes identifying and analysing victim-blaming language across the UK justice system, specifically in relation to investigations of violence against women and girls (VAWG). I work with UK police forces to improve routes to justice through more trauma-informed language choices in police investigations.
My research projects also include the forensic stylistic analyses of witness statements following the Hillsborough Football Stadium Disaster (1989) and the attribution of blame following the Champions League Final in Paris in 2022.
I also develop wellbeing literary projects that centre on reading for wellbeing and have established a series of reading and discussion projects in prisons and other restricted environments.
I am one of ten experts that comprise the Truth Recovery Independent Panel investigating the pathways and practices of 'Mother and Baby' Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses in the north of Ireland (1922-1995).
I am a registered expert with the European Anti-Fraud Commission and provide consultancy and training to national domestic abuse charities.
Education/Academic qualification
Linguistics, PhD
1 Sept 2006 → 1 Sept 2009
Award Date: 15 Dec 2009
External positions
1 May 2023 → …
External Examiner, Aston University
1 Jan 2023 → …
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fingerprint
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Forensic Stylistics
Canning Pask, P., 1 Jun 2026, International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Nesi, H. & Milin, P. (eds.). 3 ed. Amsterdam, Netherlands: ElsevierResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary › peer-review
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Police gaslighting in UK domestic abuse cases
Blewitt, K. & Canning Pask, P., 9 Dec 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Discourse and Society. p. 1-18 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)9 Downloads (Pure) -
Discourse Analysis: A Practical Introduction
Canning, P. & Walker, B., 31 Jan 2024, 1st ed. London: Routledge. 346 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book › peer-review
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Interim Report of the Independent Panel: Truth Recovery Independent Panel: Seeking the Truth
Canning Pask, P., May 2024, Belfast: Northern Ireland Civil Service . 17 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Forensic Stylistics
Canning, P., 29 May 2023, The Routledge Handbook of Stylistics. Second Edition. Burke, M. (ed.). 2nd ed. London: Taylor & Francis, 21 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review
Prizes
Impacts
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Seeking justice for domestic abuse survivors
Canning, P. (Participant)
Impact: Public policy, law and services
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“Treated With Contempt” An Independent Panel Report into Fans’ Experiences Before, During and After the 2022 Champions League Final in Paris
Canning, P. (Participant), Scraton, P. (Participant), Haydon, D. (Participant), Easthope, L. (Participant) & Marshall, P. (Participant)
Impact: Public discourseand understanding