Reimagining Criminology: Indigenous Feminisms as a Pathway to Justice

• In Event: International Perspectives on Gender-Based Violence

Abstract

Traditional criminology, with its colonial roots and Eurocentric methodologies, has long failed to adequately address or understand the complexities of crime and justice in Indigenous contexts, particularly regarding violence against Indigenous women. In this paper, we argue that Indigenous feminisms offer a crucial lens through which criminology can be fundamentally reimagined, challenging its colonial underpinnings and advocating for a justice system that genuinely centers Indigenous experiences and values. By examining the historical genesis of criminology alongside its colonial legacy, we highlight the discipline's role in perpetuating physical and epistemic violence against Indigenous communities. It critiques contemporary criminological theories for their significant limitations in engaging with Indigenous issues, including a critique of critical criminology's inadequate engagement with colonialism. Finally, we gesture towards an Indigenous feminist criminological framework, emphasizing land-linked theoretical models and methodologies, thereby proposing a paradigm shift towards anti-colonial criminological practice. In presenting methodological innovations aligned with Indigenous epistemologies, this work not only critiques but also offers constructive pathways forward, suggesting a criminology that is responsive to and respectful of Indigenous knowledge systems. Through this, we advocate for a re-envisioned criminology capable of addressing myriad Indigenous injustices with the depth and nuance they deserve.

Authors

• Jeremy Braithwaite, Tribal Law and Policy Institute

• Shelbi Nahwilet Meissner, University of Maryland, College Park