Fifty Key Thinkers in Criminology

by Keith Hayward (Editor), Shadd Maruna (Editor), K.J. Hayward Social Policy

Fifty Key Thinkers in Criminology brings the history of criminological thought alive through a collection of fascinating life stories. The book covers a range of historical and contemporary thinkers from around the world, offering a stimulating combination of biographical fact with historical and cultural context. A rich mix of life-and-times detail and theoretical reflection is designed to generate further discussion on some of the key contributions that have shaped the field of criminology. Featured profiles Fifty Key Thinkers in Criminology is an accessible and informative guide that includes helpful cross-referencing and suggestions for further reading. It is of value to all students of criminology and of interest to those in related disciplines, such as sociology and criminal justice.

Genres: Philosophy

344 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Megan Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the required textbook for two of the units I have undertaken as a part of a Justice (criminology) degree. As a result, I've read most of it, multiple times. I found it to be a really engaging book. Each author painted an interesting picture of the background influences to each key thinker, while also educating the reader in the key aspects of the theories and work that they key thinker attributed.

As an Australian student, the key downfall was the concentration of mostly northern hemisphere criminologists. While I had come across many of these criminologists throughout my studies, the European/North American state of criminology does not always translate to southern hemisphere. This really is not a reflection on the book, rather a call for an equivalent book that recognises the role and impact of criminology/criminologists in the southern hemisphere.