Rethinking the Rural: Crime, Risk Society and Social Change

• In Event: Theorizing the Rural

Abstract

This paper attempts to move theorizing on crime in rural settings beyond the social disruption hypothesis. That is, rural communities are often perceived in the literature as close-knit, stable, friendly, and somewhat untouched by modern society until some event throws this idyllic setting into disarray (e.g., an oil boom). Drawing on the work of Anthony Giddens and Ulrich Beck, this paper utilizes late modern and risk society theorizing to help better explain rural crime in contemporary times. By incorporating how rural settings have adapted (or not) to macro level social changes, we argue that rural settings are best understood within larger technological, social, and environmental changes being experienced worldwide. More specifically, we argue for a more focused consideration of both micro and macro level experiences in order to better understand rural crime in contemporary times.

Authors

• Madison Charman, University of Ontario Institute of Technology

• Christopher D. O'Connor, University of Ontario Institute of Technology