Issue 4/2018

Content

Special Contributions in celebration of 50 years Kriminologisches Journal

Kriminalität als Konflikt (German)

Crime as conflict

Johannes Stehr

This paper investigates the relevance of conflict theory for critical criminology and abolitionism. The productivity of critical research of everyday life is examined. Thus, crime understood as conflict allows to bring conditions and possibilities of a reappropriation of conflicts to the fore, which is of particular relevance in the present context of populist policies and state punishment.

Elitäre sekte. Zur Rezeption der interaktionstheoretisch orientierten Devianz- und Kriminalsoziologie (German)

An elitist sect. The reception of the interactionist sociology of deviance and crimes

Helge Peters

This essay investigates how the interactionist sociology of deviance and crime (iSDC) is received by the major german sociological journals. It will be shown that these journals do not take note of the iSDC between 2013 and 2016. In the years 1979 to 1982, however, they do. It will be further shown that in the years 2013 to 2016 the journal Soziale Probleme does not take note of the iSDC. It is assumed that the reception of the iSDC is socially risky - particularly if it is about violence.

Full paper

Panische Züge: Die Skandalisierung von Gewalt in Computerspielen als Spielzug in Aufmerksamkeitsökonomien (German)

Panic moves: Scandalizing violence in video games as a strategy in attention economies

Michael Dellwing

In this article, I will analyze the narratives that have solidified around the alleged connection between computer games and violence. Even though the relevant disciplines in the field - e.g., Media- and Cultural Studies, Game Studies - have long abandoned this connection, debates in public arenas, media, and education, hold on to the image of games as dangerous. This article will first note the structure of the narrative of games-as-danger to then note the consequence of such narratives: they serve as currency in attention economies, where they can generate success for games, but in the process harm those who play them, especially when they find themselves in structurally disadvantaged positions vulnerable to institutional power.

Discussion Paper

Polizeiliche Maßnahmen gegen Hells Angels und andere „Out-law Motorcycle Gangs“ (OMCG) – Inszenierte Repression am Rande der Legalität? (German)

Policing Hells Angels and other “Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs” (OMCG) – Staged Repression on the Edge of Legality?

Thomas Feltes and Paul Reiners

The article focuses on police and administrative measures against members of outlaw motorcycle clubs (OMCG) such as the Hells Angels in Germany. The state office of criminal investigation of Baden-Württemberg and EUROPOL justify these measurements in internal reports. We argue, however, that these documents cannot be used on a rational basis for decisions in administrative law, police law, nor for judicial trials. The reports are rather guided by interest-led compositions, with which staged repression is legitimized and a symbolic prosecution policy is supported. Members of rocker groups like the Hells Angels are utilised to distract from the shortcomings in the prosecution of organised crime.

Conference Reports

"Counter-/Narratives of Punishment and Criminal Justice", University of Siegen, 21.-23. June 2018 (Schirmer)

Book reviews

Stephen Quensel: Ketzer, Kreuzzüge, Inquisition. Die Vernichtun der Katharer und Hexen, Satan, Inquisition. Die Erfindung des Hexen-Problems (Hess)

Stephan Quensel: Irre, Anstalt, Therapie. Der Psychiatrie-Komplex (Lutz)

Veronika Hofinger: Die Konstruktion des Rückfalltäters. Von Lombroso bis zu den Neurowissenschaften (Wehrheim)

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