***APOLOGIES FOR CROSS-POSTING***

 

Dear All,

 

Please find attached a new call for papers for an edited collection which might be of interest (also pasted below). We are particularly interested in papers that draw on gender and the sociology of deviance.

 

With best wishes,

 

Heather

 

***CALL FOR PAPERS: EDITED COLLECTION***

 

 

Reflexivity in Criminological Research: Experiences with the Powerless and the Powerful

 

Editors

Dr Karen Lumsden (University of Abertay Dundee)

Heather M. Morgan (University of Aberdeen)

 

Seminal studies such as William Whyte’s (1943) Street Corner Society, Ned Polsky’s (1971) Hustlers, Beats and Others, Ken Pryce’s (1979) Endless Pressure, Patricia Adler’s (1985) Wheeling and Dealing and Dick Hobbs’ (1989) Doing the Business, (to name just a few), provide valuable insights into the challenges the authors faced in the course of their research on crime and/or deviance. Doing research with criminals or deviants has inspired much academic reflection, particularly in respect of the risks and dangers which researchers (may) face in these contexts, as well as the host of ethical, legal and moral dilemmas they provoke. This is also reflected in the works of Lyng (1990) and Ferrell and Hamm (1998) who suggest that criminologists engage in ‘edgework’ (which involves us experientially immersing ourselves in the risky activities and behaviours of the culture in question). These works mainly focus on research with underprivileged subjects or, to put it more bluntly, those groups perceived as powerless – the underdogs. By contrast, researchers investigating other topics under the remit of criminology, such as those which involve the powerful; institutional mechanisms of control, regulation and surveillance (including prisons, courts, police, social work settings, CCTV rooms and so on), have tended to remain quiet regarding their experiences. It could be posited that adopting a reflexive approach when conducting research in these politically charged settings is more problematic. However, this is precisely why, as criminologists, we must openly acknowledge, reflect upon, and share, our experiences of research in various settings, particularly if, and when, internal or external power dynamics are at play.

 

The aim of Reflexivity in Criminological Research is to contribute to, advance and consolidate discussions of the ranges of methods and approaches in criminology through the presentation of international case studies in which the authors reflect upon their experiences with both powerless and/or powerful individuals/groups. Reflexivity, and the need to be reflexive, permeates every aspect of all criminological research projects, hence submissions are welcome in areas of criminological study which address any of the following:

 

·         Accessing the field, building relationships with gatekeepers and/or research negotiations;

·         The influence of the researcher’s biography on their selection of research topic, relationships with the researched and interactions in the field. This could be in relation to gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race, class, political beliefs, feminism, religion or personal likes/dislikes;

·         Emotional or physical risks encountered, particularly in research of a sensitive nature or on vulnerable groups;

·         Power, partisanship and bias;

·         Issues faced when exiting the field/ending relationships with respondents;

·         Dissemination of research findings. For instance, engaging in ‘public’ criminology, ‘giving voice’ to the researched and their responses to what we publish;

·         The ‘problems’ with reflexivity in criminological research;

·         The role of reflexivity in new or innovative research methods/approaches such as digital/online methods, visual ethnography, team research, or mixed methods.

 

This should not be treated as an exhaustive list and the editors are happy to discuss other suggestions if they fit the remit of the proposed edited collection. Interested authors should submit an abstract (between 250-500 words), working title and short biography by the deadline of FRIDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2012 to Karen Lumsden [log in to unmask] and Heather Morgan [log in to unmask]. For those selected, the provisional deadline for completed papers will be 1 August 2013 (word count between 4000-5000 words)

 

Enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Karen Lumsden ([log in to unmask]) in the first instance.

 

 

________________________________

Heather Morgan

Research Fellow

 

Health Services Research Unit (HSRU)
University of Aberdeen
3rd Floor, Health Sciences Building
Foresterhill
Aberdeen AB25 2ZD

Email: [log in to unmask]

Tel: + 44 (0) 1224 438187

Fax: +44 (0) 1224 438165

Web: www.abdn.ac.uk/hsru/staff/details/h.morgan

 

The PhD Journey Conference Aberdeen 2012

6th-7th November 2012, King's College, Aberdeen
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/phd-journey/