Introduction: Critical Criminology for the 21st Century

We are amid a global pandemic; poverty is rising and the powerful getting richer through mechanisms that exploit, oppress, deprive others. Meanwhile, mainstream criminology remains oblivious to this dreadful situation sticks micro-studies on regression analysis, street crime desistance prison control. Before world collapses, shall we revisit critical (CC) call attention structural violences injustices? How should CC look in 21st century? was born 1970s achieved an unprecedented impact. Its contributions appeared USA, Europe, Latin America simultaneously not only as isolated individual theoretical productions but result of networks scholars seeking connect their research endeavours with actual social change. The Union Radical Criminologists National Deviancy Conferences Europe Maracaibo School became spaces think about punishment from radical perspective engage movements working front line. Building upon lessons labelling approach, proposed go beyond traditional boundaries study control draw connection between function criminal agencies characteristics capitalist system production. From materialist criminologists started unequal role penal institutions incorporating broader intersections among crime, class, race, gender, ethnicity age different responses marginalised groups received justice were set at centre field. In New Criminology: For Social Theory Deviance, most well-known work trend, Ian Taylor, Paul Walton Jock Young offered review previous criminological thought materialistic suggested decades reflection lacked analysis inequality its relation structure. They called for: ‘[t]he importance inquiring how far particular form political economy, speaking crudely, Western industrial capitalism, … has influenced way law know it, (more generally) ask what relations capitalism trappings “criminal justice” are’ (Taylor, 1973, p.176). With upsurge law-and-order policies neoliberal governments 1980s 1990s, declined. Serious objections raised against school, including difficulties bringing together Marxism criminology, absence proactive proposals address diversity various positions, idealisation offender lack empirical (van Swaaningen 2011, p.9). However, continued expanding work. Currently, there division within American Society Criminology journal named Critical Criminology, while Common Study Programme European Group for Deviance Control have been developing substantive decades. More recently, approaches adopt least some aspects include abolitionism, convict cultural feminist green indigenous southern queer black rural state crimes powerful. This special issue another example renewed relevance dissemination all these schools perspectives constitutes source joy incentive application thinking broad range relevant topics. issue, goal return common ground. can reinvigorate joint agenda today? What would it like? Dialectically, expected, aim original gave rise enriched multiple scholarly developed last 50 years reshape them more comprehensive, updated, diverse 21st-Century perspective. endeavour involves reassessing ‘what’ (topics), ‘who’ (people) ‘how’ (perspectives). main challenges arose (Ruggiero), invites us ordinary or focus those perpetrated by includes articles nature (Sollund Kulzer/Pitman/Young), state-corporate (Kulzer/Pitman/Young), authoritarianism (de Carvalho/Matos), immigration (Tosh), (Collins), corporate (Simončič) even racially-based harms academic (León). Considering states rarely criminalise actions omissions, also calls limited offences receipted codes. Instead, building zemiology, breaches international human rights internationally customary formally criminalised, neither nor national level. Furthermore, paradox harmful behaviours, such involved fashion industry, considered respectful businesses (Simončič), legitimate exercise rights, migrating, labelled (Tosh). sheds light features systems systematically under-criminalise powerful, despite harms, over-criminalise vulnerable, if they just trying survive basic (Vegh Weis 2017). consequences selective dynamics encompass risk destroying planet itself (Sollund). Because do impact people equally, will be paid ‘selective victimization’ Magnin 2021). notion exposes selectivity does distinctive enforcement punitive power according sexual orientation, religion ethnicity, under-criminalised lives groups. regard, raises point Century need disproportionate victimisation women, diversities, ethnic minorities, migrants suffer crush modest life plans (Collins, León, Tosh, de Carvalho/Matos). general, particularly English-speaking world, largely restricted cis white male writing Global North. A needs sensitive phenomenon help raise voices usually unheard, racial South activists personally targeted systems. As Sousa Santos argues, benevolent concession privileged ecology knowledges (Santos 2014) results dialogue epistemologies path towards comprehensive transformative cosmovision benefit all. To exemplify, looking outside Northern box fact ‘Maracaibo Manifesto’ written network Latin-American 1981 pointed out, eight before Chambliss's Presidential Address (Chambliss 1989), perpetrators massive plays legitimising cover up (see manifesto Aniyar Castro Codino (2013, pp.271–4)). vein, prominent member School, Raúl Zaffaroni, out early 1988 ‘the highest number deaths Latin-America caused agencies’ ‘urgent approach [which] dimension rights’, going conception (Zaffaroni 1988, p.4, italics original). small included activist-scholars who themselves targets crime. dominated, two female criminologists, Lolita Castro, Rosa del Olmo, forefront network. latter conceptualised ongoing atrocities repressive regimes ruled 1960s/1980s (del Olmo 1981). she broaden concepts root causes inclusive burden external debt, omission, impunity scope central points Latin-American. Language still barrier consider knowledge produced and, unfortunately, successful achieving goal. Efforts multiplied expand geographical demographic 2019) truly bottom-up. Better outcomes terms gender equality editor, five authors, which unfortunately always case. cannot anything else decolonial transfeminist intersectional (Sollund, anti-punitive Simončič, Tosh), praxis-oriented (León, Ruggiero). Class, geographic location, religion, age, other socio-demographic appear indispensable factors shaping perpetrated, victims suffered them, functioning media perceptions that. Acknowledging reality embracing considers dimensions (and victimisation) bridging gap theory praxis ambitious requires back legacies production, starts article Vincenzo Ruggiero, inspiring scholar pillar of, one encouraged me undertake, compilation. his article, ‘Concepts revitalisation criminology’, Ruggiero inquires survives notions, principles, values CC. piece context today dramatically experienced fostering ago. Facing complexity, builds solid bridges scenario. so, articulates several variables (or thematic areas) elaborated first proposes further novel views Because, want luxury keeping endeavours, forgo healthy second ‘Green criminology: foundation forward’ Ragnhild Sollund. appealing personal tone, Sollund resorts her experiences student later professor University Oslo explore criminology. Through anecdotes putting rich literature field, CC, concern injustice, harm necessary non-speciesist Of course, when facing places environmental destruction. third ‘Critical state-facilitated racism, Atlantic Coast Pipeline’ Sarah Pedigo Kulzer, Brian Pitman Stephen T. Young. deploys frameworks racism analyse dramatic case study: Pipeline, 600-mile natural gas pipeline run West Virginia North Carolina USA. highlights project's poor communities well state's facilitating undertaking. Following on, under aforementioned conviction behaviours actually criminalised statutes, fourth Katja Simončič explores fast industry lens zemiology Entitled ‘Fast fashion: crime’, occur consequence inadequate health safety conditions yet normalised capitalism. defined Pemberton Michalowski Kramer put forward. Particularly ostensible dealing fashion, transgender That Victoria E. Collins lucidly fifth entitled ‘Looking violence women studies’. Indeed, very few perpetrator succeeded calling variety crimes. argues integrative crime/crimes better innovative perspectives, in-depth race analysis. line perspective, analysed independence crucial selectivity. though racialised formal long history present globally, US country where unfairness striking. exposed Kenneth Sebastián León sixth title race: re-examining whiteness thought’. scholarship, specific considered: discrimination against, over-criminalisation Latinos brown people, extended throughout Americas. he provides data composition faculty remain mostly spaces. undisputable statistics, snapshots reflect enduring barriers both inquiry equity. Along barriers, target biased Increasing migration responds climate, war, civil conflict economic grounds topic seventh ‘Beyond “criminalisation” immigrants: modern deportation regime’ Tosh. makes that, long-standing body contradicting stereotypes link image immigrant routinely used buttress policy across globe – past 30 years. demonstrates vital full understanding regime built based criminogenic framing migration. Finally, ends contribution Salo Carvalho Lucas Vianna Matos. Their ‘The crisis Brazil: epistemological, methodological authoritarian times’, outlines current Brazil representative general landscape. authors acknowledge significant poses acute questions deadlock notably face advance new type authoritarianism. Organising debate methodological, terms, criticism region strategic avenues critique emancipatory build unified resistance states. then core CC? open ongoing. standpoint message recovering activist development, attentive particularities South, engaged pursuing material change ground, focused disadvantaged under-criminalisation done intersectional, green, Yes, increasingly Marx centuries ago, claims thought, changed.11 Acknowledgement: Valeria Vegh funded Federal Ministry Education Research (BMBF) Baden-Württemberg Science part Excellence Strategy German State Governments. Open access funding enabled organized Projekt DEAL.