Cultural Criminology

1848 Words8 Pages
What is cultural criminology? Cultural criminology centers' on the study of how cultural dynamics mix with crime and crime control within modern society. This field of study seeks to explain the causes and reciprocal effects of crime with reference to meaning, symbolism and power relations between cultures and subcultures. In extension culture is viewed as a means that gives groups identity and way to express it through behavior, defiance of law enforcement, mass media and popular culture hence allowing subcultures to share the emotions and repercussions of these actions and events. Through the study of crime in relevance to culture it allows scholars and the public to assess the understanding of crime as a human activity, as well as analysing…show more content…
The legitimacy of brands or music can depend heavily on their acceptance within society and so subcultures. An example that Lyng uses in 'Square the one percent: Biker style and the Selling of Cultural resistance'8 is that of Harley- Davidson motorcycles. Whereby the company reinvented its brand to incorporate the style of illegal l outlaw biker subcultures, while incorporating them this high end marketing campaigns; in order to avoid bankruptcy. Subsequently, this is a way which corporate economies utilize subcultures to their own benefit, enhancing the of subcultures within Cultural criminology, while also complicating and saturating the…show more content…
They are able to utilize the media and political perceptions in order to further marginalize groups and alter the criminality of their culture. This also works the other way round, if politicians can alter perceptions of subcultures than the subcultures can also manipulate the public opinion of their own group. They are not always passive to the social panic that surrounds them 12, using modern technology and social media sites they are able to create their own images of crime in order to counter the perceptions that are circulated with the media. This develops an endless circle of reinventing the others image and understandings for their own

More about Cultural Criminology

Open Document