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Abstract
The field of cultural criminology has faced much criticism concerning the perspective's perceived theoretical ambiguity and inadequate definition of its core concept: culture (O'Brien, 2005; Webber, 2007). One critique goes so far as to conclude by asking, "One has to wonder, what is cultural criminology?" (Spencer, 2010, p. 21) In the current paper, I endeavor to answer this question using the theoretical texts of cultural criminology. Whereas critics use cultural criminologists' "own words" to evidence a lack of clarity (Farrell, 2010, p. 60), I use such words to clarify the logic, scope, and meaning of cultural criminology. In so doing, I explore the role of cultural criminology as a subfield of academic criminology; examine prior conceptualizations of 'culture' and their relation to that of cultural criminology, and trace the main methodological and theoretical antecedents from which the field emerged.
The Meaning of Cultural Criminology: A Theoretical and Methodological Lineage
The field of cultural criminology has "borne many slings and arrows, more so than almost any other of the critical criminologies in the last few years" (Muzzatti, 2006, p. 74). Many such slings and arrows are aimed at the perspective's perceived theoretical ambiguity and inadequate definition of its core concept: culture (O'Brien, 2005; Webber, 2007; Farrell, 2010; Spencer, 2010). It is characterized as "a combination of existing [theoretical] elements...with rather confused consequences," one that "lack[s] clear aims" (Farrell, 2010, pp. 58-60). Cultural criminologists-in their "rush to be the next big approach in critical criminology"-are charged with "theoretical gerrymandering" and failing "to adequately adhere to the theoretical perspectives they rely on" (Spencer, 2010, pp. 20-21). Spencer concludes his critique of the perspective by asking: "One has to wonder, what is cultural criminology?" (2010, p. 21) Herein, I endeavor to answer this question utilizing the theoretical texts of cultural criminology. Whereas critics use cultural criminologists' "own words" to evidence a lack of clarity (Farrell, 2010, p. 60), I use such words to clarify the logic, scope, and meaning of cultural criminology. In so doing, I explore the role of cultural criminology in relation to the larger discipline, examine prior conceptualizations of 'culture' in criminology and their relation to that of cultural criminology, and trace the main theoretical and methodological lineages from which the perspective emerged.
Since...