Is aesthetics relevant for the study of crime?

• In Event: New Perspectives on Crime and Justice

Abstract

The lens of aesthetics allows one to focus on the process rather than an outcome. It is a procedural tool which can be used to appreciate beauty, but it is also a contemplative instrument. The objects of contemplation may differ but the method of focusing on observation remains the same. In the context of criminology, there is scope to explore (1) the way in which crimes are constructed, and criminal behavior is defined; and (2) public perceptions of various types of criminal conduct, especially the process whereby blameworthiness and dangerousness are determined. The lens of aesthetics is helpful in this process as it offers new perspectives on pre-existing societal conditions rooted in historical development. The role of art is to take one outside of the familiar register of perception. One case to explore would be criminalization of some drugs and not others. What makes alcohol - a big contributor to violence crime - acceptable and distinguishable from other drugs? It is possible to refer to the works of art for the explanation of socially acceptable conduct.

Author

• Marina Aksenova, IE University