BSC Critical Criminology Network
About
Co-Chairs
Tammy Ayres: tca2@leicester.ac.uk
Oliver Smith: oliver.smith@plymouth.ac.uk
Steering Group
Tammy Ayres (Leicester) – chair; Oliver Smith (Plymouth); Tom Raymen (Plymouth) – deputy chair, treasurer; Rowland Atkinson (Sheffield) – publicity, media; Simon Winlow (Northumbria) – BSC Executive liaison; Luke Telford (Teesside) – postgraduate representative; Alex Hall (Northumbria) – conferences, seminars and presentations; James Treadwell (Staffordshire) – prizes; Corina Medley (Plymouth) – conferences, seminars and presentations; Anthony Lloyd (Teesside) – publicity, media; Joanna Large (Bristol) – secretary and social media lead; John Lea (Leicester) – old school; Anthony Ellis (University of Salford) Conference and Event Organiser.
Critical criminology, broadly understood, has its roots in Britain and it remains a key component of the discipline both nationally and internationally. Our network that will bring together academics, postgraduate students and practitioners working in this field in order to facilitate discussion, collaboration and intellectual innovation. We are particularly keen to encourage younger criminologists to formulate their own critical accounts of the world and its injustices, and, by doing so, assist critical criminology to move forwards to a new period of vibrancy, growth and productivity.
The social problems associated with the post-crash era – austerity, mass imprisonment, growing inequality, war, terrorism, mass migration, structural underemployment, ecological degradation, slavery, exploitation, corporate intrusion into our private lives, and so on – have led to a resurgence of interest in critical criminology. However, given the huge changes that have taken place, we cannot simply return to the ideas of the sixties and seventies and apply them to the problems we face today. We need to breathe new life into critical criminology, and we hope that our network can encourage critical criminologists to hatch new ideas that relate to the world as it is now.
Forthcoming Events
Future events will be announced in the BSC Bulletin
Previous Events
BSC Critical Criminology Network & The University of East London International Conference – 7-10 August 2024
BSC Critical Criminology Network & The University of East London – International Conference on Global Criminology and Victimology (ICGCV) – 2024: Global Alliances in Indian Criminology and Victimology: Towards Building a Resilient Framework for Crime and Justice 7-10 August 2024. RV University, Bengaluru, India.
The International Conference on Global Criminology and Victimology (ICGCV) – 2024 is a multidisciplinary event that unites scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and experts from across the globe to deliberate and exchange ideas on various facets of crime, victimisation, and justice systems globally. This conference seeks to revitalise core principles by reflecting on the foundational pillars of Criminology and Victimology, ensuring their relevance and adaptability to contemporary Indian society. The significance of this conference is immense to safeguard and reinforce Criminology and Victimology as essential disciplines within India’s academic and law enforcement realms. Our vision extends beyond borders as we aim for international collaborations that influence and inspire students and research scholars worldwide. The conference provides a platform for researchers and professionals to present their latest findings, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions that contribute to advancing knowledge and practices in the field.
The Critical Criminology Network in partnership with the The BSC Postgraduate Committee.
8th April 2022 10am-4pm at Staffordshire University and Online
A day of masterclasses and mindful critical criminological reflections of the impact of the Covid-19 Pendemic
The BSC Critical Criminology Network hosted presentations considering the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic from a critical criminological perspective. The keynote speaker was Professor Daniel Briggs, from the University of Europea, who discussed the impact of Covid-19 on the social sciences.
The BSC Postgraduate Committee hosted masterclasses for students in criminology, and other related disciplines, at any stage of their postgraduate journey.
Critical Directions in Green Criminology: Criminological perspectives on environmental crises
April 2, 2019
Room 202, Mast House, Shepherd’s Wharf, 24 Sutton Road, Plymouth PL4 0HJ
This conference aimed to kick start a new discussion in criminology – one that engages thoughtfully, but vigorously, with the ways in which the discipline can be brought to bear on a range of issues that are acknowledged widely but largely misunderstood.
The Future of Critical Criminology: Where do we go from here?
Wednesday 27th July 2016.
Critical criminology has reached a crucial stage in its development. We occupy a post-crash epoch characterised by permanent crisis. We have seen the gap between rich and poor grow to historic levels, and the political realm appears to have abandoned seemingly out-of-date ideas about redistributing wealth, providing for the sick and needy and ensuring universal economic participation. We are already seeing resource wars and the socially disruptive signs of environmental harm. Environmental changes and geopolitical turmoil have prompted new migrant flows, and across much of Europe we have seen the rise of right-wing nationalism as a political response to perceived threats to traditional cultures. Our cultural life is increasingly commodified, and traditional aspects of sociality are being replaced by the possessive individualism of the consumer age. We live in a unique time with unique challenges. The decisions we make now will impact upon generations to come. Perhaps more than ever, we need to adopt a critical approach to social harm, social order and control, and the politics of law and order. We need the critical tradition to forge new paths and generate new ideas in-keeping with the times. We cannot look back to the radicalism of the sixties and assume that the ideas of earlier critical criminologists will be equally radical in our own times. Details here:
https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/criminology/news-and-events/the-future-of-critical-criminology
Joining and staying in touch
We are always keen to welcome new members. If you would like to be kept up to date on our activities, please contact our publicity representative, Tammy Ayres –tca2@leicester.ac.uk. If you are interested in taking a position on our steering committee, please contact either of the co-chairs.
Contact the Network
Please contact our publicity representative: tca2@leicester.ac.uk
Websites of interest
ASC division: divisiononcriticalcriminology.com/
The European Group: www.europeangroup.orgtca2@leicester.ac.uk