Doing criminological researchin ‘dangerous’ fields

EU-Project:„Internationalization in Sociology and Criminology studies“

Vilnius/Lithuania

Cultural Criminology

Dina Siegel

• Cultural criminologyCultural criminology• Ethnographic methodsEthnographic methods

(qualitative) & each method (qualitative) & each method which reveals meaning, which reveals meaning, experience & emotion of crime: experience & emotion of crime: engaged criminologyengaged criminology

• Multidisciplinary: from different Multidisciplinary: from different fields (fields (postmodern approachpostmodern approach): ): visual/ textual, film, art, music visual/ textual, film, art, music etc. etc.

• Study of emotions & Study of emotions & experiences, experiences, meaning makingmeaning making

• Roots: Roots: criticalcritical criminology(& criminology(& phenomenology)phenomenology)

• Mainstream crim.Mainstream crim.• 'Objective' methods: 'Objective' methods: survey survey

researchresearch (quantitative and (quantitative and policy-oriented) dominates policy-oriented) dominates (society of control/ (society of control/ prevention) prevention)

• Multidisciplinary, but keeping Multidisciplinary, but keeping own traditional methods own traditional methods (statistics, macro- (statistics, macro- sociological) sociological)

• Study of 'facts': positivistic Study of 'facts': positivistic approachapproach

• Basis in soc. positivism & Basis in soc. positivism & classic crim. theory classic crim. theory

Cultural criminology was born:Cultural criminology was born:

• Because new research (research methods) Because new research (research methods) is needed:is needed:– Because of a domination of policy-making Because of a domination of policy-making

projectsprojects

– CC aks not ‘what works’, but ‘why’, ‘for whom’ CC aks not ‘what works’, but ‘why’, ‘for whom’ and ‘under which conditions ’ (Nelen, 2008)and ‘under which conditions ’ (Nelen, 2008)

– Search of meaning and interpretationSearch of meaning and interpretation

– Criminology is an object – study with Criminology is an object – study with sometimes unbridgeable differences, therefore sometimes unbridgeable differences, therefore we need to conduct a detailed analysis we need to conduct a detailed analysis (Bovenkerk, 2008)(Bovenkerk, 2008)

Differences:Differences:• Mainstream vs. CCMainstream vs. CC

• Mainstream: reason – interventionMainstream: reason – intervention• Cultural Criminology: experience – Cultural Criminology: experience –

reckoning (Boutellier, 2008)reckoning (Boutellier, 2008)• Key concepts in CC: meaning, emotion, Key concepts in CC: meaning, emotion,

expression, consumerism, expression, consumerism, representation, style, social representation, style, social construction, power, reputation, virtual construction, power, reputation, virtual identity, etc. identity, etc.

Mike Presdee, 2000, Cultural CriminologyMike Presdee, 2000, Cultural Criminology and the Carnival of Crime. London: Routledge and the Carnival of Crime. London: Routledge

• Criminality and violence can be ‘enjoyable’Criminality and violence can be ‘enjoyable’• Carnival – character of a temporary reversal of a Carnival – character of a temporary reversal of a

social ordersocial order• In present culture - ‘carnival transgression’, when In present culture - ‘carnival transgression’, when

it has to do with truth, authority and consumptionit has to do with truth, authority and consumption• ‘‘Second life’ incl. immoral, non-civilized social Second life’ incl. immoral, non-civilized social

behavior, fantasy, unconscious ‘consumption of behavior, fantasy, unconscious ‘consumption of criminality’ (in media: egoism, decay)criminality’ (in media: egoism, decay)

• Presdee: our desire for extreme forms of Presdee: our desire for extreme forms of pleasure vs rationalizationpleasure vs rationalization

• Dynamic society: space for expression and Dynamic society: space for expression and desires outside the normative conformity desires outside the normative conformity

……and emotionsand emotions

Study of emotions in Cultural Criminology:Study of emotions in Cultural Criminology:

• Step 1. Recognizing importance of human Step 1. Recognizing importance of human emotions in crime, punishment and social emotions in crime, punishment and social control control

• Step 2. Understanding how emotions work Step 2. Understanding how emotions work and what are the reasons and what are the reasons

• Step 3: Analyzing the phenomenological Step 3: Analyzing the phenomenological basis, placing emotions in the context of basis, placing emotions in the context of situations, aesthetics and social interactionsituations, aesthetics and social interaction

Jack Katz, Jack Katz, How Emotions WorkHow Emotions Work, 1999:, 1999:Emotions are: on one hand – outside Emotions are: on one hand – outside

our control (hysteric)our control (hysteric)On the other hand – ‘make up a part On the other hand – ‘make up a part

of our lives’ (subjective)of our lives’ (subjective)Analysis of emotional condition or Analysis of emotional condition or

experience – understanding experience – understanding background (power, gender, social background (power, gender, social class, ethnicity)class, ethnicity)

Difficult and dangerous communities

• Cultural criminologists apply ethnographic research methods

• It often fails, but if successful…

• Excellent to research culture, motives, backgrounds, perceptions, internal and external relations, functions, relations with street crime, with economy and with social context. Also good for the mundane and common (everyday life)

What is dangerous?

What is ‘dangerous’?• Something ‘unknown’ – means must be

discovered, revealed, understood.

• Nikolai Miklucho-Maklai (1846-1888) – Indonesia and Australia – ethnography

• Bronislav Malinowski – Trobriand Islands – participant observation

Bronislav Malinowski (1884-1942)

Fieldwork vs.‘Armchair researcher’

Dangerous fields: ‘Unknown city’

• Chicago School• Robert Park, William Thomas and Florian

Znaniecki

Criminological research:• Ned Polsky (1969) – ‘hustlers’• William Chambliss (1978) – corrupt

officials • Patricia Adler (1985) – drugs dealers

What is ‘dangerous’

• Physical threat, violence

• Carolyn Nordstrom and Ton Robben, 1995, Fieldwork Under Fire.

• Fear, uncertainty, (on frontline, conflict area, dictatorship)

Dangerous gender

• Being a female researcher:

– Contradiction in cultural perceptions

– Doing research in a ‘men’s world’

Ethnographic fieldwork

Ethnographic fieldwork

Research on Organized Crime in the Netherlands

• Frank Bovenkerk and Yucel Yesilgoz - The Turkish Mafia

• Informants – ‘babas’ (leaders of the Turkish heroin trafficking networks) and drug couriers

• Participant observation in coffee-houses, informal settings

• Most important conclusions: second generation migrants serve the heroin traders, this is the chance for poor young Turks to climb up on a social ladder in the Netherlands.

Colombian traquetosDamian Zaitch:• Informants: cocaine

dealers, Colombian prostitutes

• Participant observation: salsa clubs; Red light district; informal settings

• Important conclusions: no cartels, demand/supply, no violence

Russian Mafia in the Netherlands

• Research in 1999-2004, as a result of contract killings of Russian criminals in theNetherlands • Informants: Russian businessmen: legal; semi-legal; and criminal.

• Participant observation: Russian restaurants, informal settings.

• Important conclusion: Russian Mafia did not present a threat to the Dutch economy and democracy, Russian mafia is not embedded in the Russian immigrant community. Activities in the Netherlands: extortion, money laundering, women trafficking, car theft

Ethnographic research problems

Time and efforts demanding

Hidden nature 'off' the streets

Violent nature dangerous

Good training is necessary (Utrecht University provides)

‘Going native’ with criminals

• Ethical perspective (‘coming too close means identify with…’)

• Too much seduction (moral considerations)

(Sluka, 1990; Sutherland and Cressey, 1967; etc.)

Ethnographic fieldwork

Seems to be more successful in some activities (drugs), aspects (underground), location (public) and groups (young, groups, ethnic minorities) more and more done in the area of human trafficking, corporate crime and in prisons

In cultural criminology: art, fiction and images

Lyrics (gangster rap, favela funk , narcocorridos, tango, etc.) content analysis, context

Art, fiction and images Paintings and photos

Art, fiction and images Films (film noir, Yakuza, Gangster films,

Latin American realism, etc.)

Art, fiction and images Literature (Cervantes, Shakespeare, Quincey

Baudelaire, London, Chandler, etc.)

Art, fiction and images Comics

Art, fiction and images Advertising

Art, fiction and images Videogames

Abu Ghraib – visual criminologyAbu Ghraib – visual criminology

History: each new style and genre were received with suspicion History: each new style and genre were received with suspicion and misunderstandingand misunderstanding

Example: Jazz in the 1920s labeled as ‘primitive’, ‘degrading’, etc. Example: Jazz in the 1920s labeled as ‘primitive’, ‘degrading’, etc. Why? Emotional features, or political symbols, protest, dreams?Why? Emotional features, or political symbols, protest, dreams?

What was criminal in jazz?What was criminal in jazz?

Can music be a reason for criminality?Can music be a reason for criminality?

Images, art and music in Cultural CriminologyImages, art and music in Cultural Criminology

Moral enterpreneurs about jazz in 1920-Moral enterpreneurs about jazz in 1920-1930:1930:

‘Give up your masculinity, let yourself be castrated’ (Adorno)

‘Jazz has the same effect on the brain as alcohol’ (Dr. Elliot Rawlings)

‘In 1921-22 jazz had caused the downfall of 1000 girls in Chicago’ (Illinois Vigilance Association)

Doing ethnographic research in criminology is:

• Difficult but not impossible…

• ‘The data is there, the problem that criminologists are not…’ (Chambliss)

• Make you hands dirty!

Questions?