The Overstated Challenge: Analysing the Challenge of Southern Criminology to the Hegemony of Northern Criminology and its Implications for Criminological Theory in the 21st Century

Abstract

In an era marked by the escalating globalisation of crime, the import of Southern criminology has progressively transitioned from a marginalised field to a central focus in research.[1] This transition presents theoretical challenges to criminology in the Northern Hemisphere.[2] This essay posits that while Southern criminology challenges Northern criminology’s hegemony, these challenges are ultimately overstated. Recognising and addressing these challenges is imperative for improving the epistemological framework and theoretical contributions of criminology, thereby equipping it to confront 21st-century criminal phenomena more effectively.

[1] Matthews, Roger. “False Starts, Wrong Turns and Dead Ends: Reflections on Recent Developments in Criminology.” Critical Criminology 25, no. 4 (2017): 577-591.

[2] Greenberg, David F. “The Weak Strength of Social Control Theory.” Crime & Delinquency 45, no. 1 (1999): 66–81.