This book sets an agenda for the development of historical approaches to
criminology. It defines 'historical criminology', explores its
characteristic strengths and limitations, and considers its potential to
enhance, revise and fundamentally challenge dominant modes of thinking
about crime and social responses to crime.
It considers the following questions:
- What is historical criminology? What does thinking historically about
crime and justice entail?
- How is historical criminology currently practised? What are the
advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to historical
criminology?
- How can historical criminology reshape understandings of crime and
social responses to crime?
- How does thinking historically bear upon major theoretical, conceptual
and methodological questions in criminological research?
- What does thinking historically have to offer criminological
scholarship more broadly, and the uses of criminology in the public
realm?
In this book, Churchill, Yeomans and Channing situate 'historical
thinking' at the heart of historical criminology, reveal the value of
historical research to criminology and argue that criminologists across
the field have much to gain from engaging in historical thinking in a
more regular and sustained way.
This book is essential reading for all criminologists, as well as
students taking courses on theories, concepts and methods in
criminology.
