Revitalizing Criminological Theory

The second edition of Revitalizing Criminological Theory is a substantial revision and expansion of the first edition. Ultra-realism is a unique school of criminological thought currently establishing itself in the discipline despite resistance from traditional schools. The second edition still provides the undergraduate and postgraduate student reader with an invaluable guide to existing schools of thought and their roots in politics and philosophy, but with updated commentary on their intellectual flaws.

In the first edition, Hall and Winlow introduced a number of important new concepts that laid the foundations for an alternative theoretical framework and research programme in criminology. In three additional chapters written specially for this edition, they introduce further concepts and substantive revisions to the theoretical framework. They also outline and discuss in detail the growing body of award-winning criminological projects conducted by a new generation of researchers who have adopted and mobilised ultra-realist thinking over the past ten years. During this period of time, ultra-realism has also made significant progress towards its primary objectives of understanding human motivations, constructing insightful representations of reality and answering the fundamental zemiological question of why some human beings risk inflicting harm on others to further their own interests or achieve various ends. The philosophical and psychosocial approaches outlined in the first edition are now significantly advanced and able to offer a more detailed answer to this question and a convincing alternative to the traditional paradigms of conservatism, neoclassicism and left liberalism. Ultra-realism is now in a position to make some substantive contributions to the debate on the depth of political intervention required to get serious about reducing the impact of crime and harm on the lives of ordinary people.

This book is essential reading for academics and students engaged in the study of criminology, sociology, social psychology, the philosophy of social science and the history of crime.