Historical Criminology Network
- About the group
- Forthcoming Events
- Past Events
- Joining and staying in touch
- Contact the Network
- Websites
Chair: Dr Esmorie Miller millere6@lsbu.ac.uk
Looking Back … The Story So Far
The network has its own site and is looking for bite-sized blog posts on anything related to its core theme – new events, calls for papers, publications, research projects, book recommendations, news items, teaching resources, job opportunities and more. Please direct contributions to Dr Alexa Neale: A.Neale@sussex.ac.uk
Network website: https://www.historicalcriminology.com/
The introduction of Alexa Neale’s Photographing Crime Scenes in Twentieth-Century London – which explores microhistories of metropolitan domestic murder is currently free to read on our blog.
The Historical Criminology Network is centrally concerned with promoting, developing and embedding historical approaches to criminology. Its principal aims are as follows:
- To promote historical scholarship within criminology.
- To forge closer dialogue between historical researchers working on topics relevant to criminology.
- To encourage use of historical resources in research and teaching in criminology.
The Chair will be responsible for the smooth running of the Network, and will normally serve for a term of three years. The Chair will appoint a Steering Group from amongst members to assist with the running of the Network. Approximately six months prior to the expiration of the Chair’s term, all members of the Network will be contacted, inviting those who are eligible to stand for the position. If more than one candidate comes forward, a vote of all Network members will be held. If no candidate comes forward, the existing Chair may serve for an additional 12 months.
WAR MAKES MONSTERS: CRIME & CRIMINALITY IN TIMES OF CONFLICT
University College Dublin, 2/3 June 2022
CALL FOR PAPERS
***The Deadline for Submissions is 1 October 2021 ***
In 1981, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declared resolutely that ‘crime is crime is crime’. The statement had mortal consequences, effectively condemning to death Bobby Sands and fellow IRA hunger strikers holding out for prisoner-of-war status in HM Prison Maze. However, Thatcher’s declaration was belied, then and now, by the reality that notions of crime and criminality are not fixed but constantly under negotiation, particularly in times of crisis and great societal change, such as war. Sociologists Sveinung and Fondevila argue that volatile periods ‘give rise to new types of criminal, reignite old ones, and repurpose justifications for crime’. History bears out their claim.
During the First World War, French senator Louis Martin proposed the suspension of legal penalties for abortion in the invaded territories where the rape of French women by advancing German forces was endemic. The London Blitz of 1940-1941 created diversions that allowed nefarious activity to flourish, including the smashing of shop windows and looting of stores, by thieves disguised as wardens. During the Cold War, leftist thought became tantamount to subversion in the United States and Senator Joseph McCarthy brought hundreds of Americans before the House Un-American Activities Committee to investigate treason. Such anecdotes provide a window into the relationship between war and crime/criminality that this conference aims to investigate. The adage ‘war makes monsters’ tells only part of the story. Indeed, evidence suggests that war makes criminals of some, while exonerating others. It creates a context for the renegotiation of what constitutes ‘crime’. It provides cover for certain varieties of misdeed and trains a spotlight on others.
‘War Makes Monsters: Crime and Criminality in Times of Conflict’ takes a global approach to understanding crime in wartime as both a cultural construction and a product of circumstances. We therefore invite scholars interested in any aspect of crime and criminality in wartime, from the medieval period to the present day, to submit proposals for papers that will allow us to gain new insights into the relationship between war and crime/criminality across time and space.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
We welcome proposals for individual papers of an historical nature. Postgraduate students and early-career researchers are especially encouraged to apply. The conference is intended to offer a constructive environment in which to workshop new, unpublished material, with the goal of producing a special journal issue, edited by the conference organizers. We anticipate being able to provide limited financial support in the form of waived attendance costs and complimentary accommodation.
- Paper proposals must include a paper title, a 500-word abstract of the paper, and a two-page CV with current contact information / email address.
- The deadline for proposals is 1 October 2021. Please send all the relevant paperwork to: WarMakesMonsters2022@gmail.com Organizers will make a decision on the final programme by the end of December 2021.
- If selected, participants will be required to submit a full draft of their papers (8,000-10,000 words) by 1 May 2022 for pre-circulation.
Questions about the CfP can be directed to conference organizers, Julie M. Powell (University College Dublin) and Claire Eldridge (University of Leeds) at WarMakesMonsters2022@gmail.com
Future events will be announced in the bi-monthly bulletin.
Historical Criminology International Networking Event
Dates: 14th and 15th July 2021
Location: Zoom.
Hosted jointly by the BSC Historical Criminology Network and the Australian and New Zealand Historical Criminology Network.
Over two short meetings on 14 and 15 July, we brought together scholars for an opportunity to meet others with similar research interests in historical criminology. This allowed us to discuss how we might think and work differently, to discuss research in progress or in the pipeline, and to connect with colleagues from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Sessions included:
- PhD and ECR support
- Digital data methods and historical criminology
- Researching recent histories
- Decolonisation and indigenisation
- Criminalisation and policing of women
- Vulnerabilities of victims in the criminal justice system
Organisers: David Churchill (d.churchill@leeds.ac.uk) and Vicky Nagy (Vicky.Nagy@utas.edu.au)
Historical Criminology Workshop
Forging new conversations and collaborations in criminology
(Also see the blog article published on this event)
15 June 2020
Event organiser: David Churchill (University of Leeds) – d.churchill@leeds.ac.uk
This virtual workshop was designed to bring together scholars to initiate conversations around common interests or new directions for research in criminology.
The workshop comprised working groups on the following topics: mobile methods; police corruption; history and interdisciplinarity; atonement; dark tourism; path dependence and criminal justice institutions; and protection. Over 50 people joined the event from 7 countries, participating in fruitful and wide-ranging discussions. The event was lived scribed by Laura Evans of Nifty Fox Creative, leaving an engaging visual record of the day’s discussions. Some groups are already planning further meetings to take their discussions forward, potentially with a view to publications. A full write up of the event will follow soon.
Historical Criminology Conference 2019
Linking past and present in criminological research
9-10 April 2019
Confirmed plenary speakers:
Prof Barry Godfrey (University of Liverpool)
Dr Kate Lister (Leeds Trinity University)
This inaugural event of the BSC Historical Criminology Network (in association with the BSC South West Branch) provided an open forum for discussion of relations between past and present in criminological research.
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The first meeting of the new British Society of Criminology Historical Criminology network took place on Monday 10 September, in London. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the aims, scope and strategy of the network and to plan its initial activities.
Membership of the Network is open to anyone with an interest in historical approaches to criminology, broadly conceived. To receive updates of the Network’s activities, please contact David Churchill: D.Churchill@leeds.ac.uk
If you would like to know more about the Network, please contact Esmorie Miller: millere6@lsbu.ac.uk