'Claims to Truth' in Qualitative Criminological Research.

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

The theme ‘Claims to Truth in Qualitative Criminological Research’ explores the role of qualitative methodologies in understanding and presenting criminological phenomena. Qualitative research in criminology often involves subjective interpretation, yet it plays a critical role in constructing narratives about crime, justice, and societal responses. This panel seeks to examine how criminologists negotiate their ‘claims to truth’ in qualitative research, considering the ethical, methodological, and epistemological implications. Papers will address how these claims are shaped by the researcher's positionality and judgemental rationality, the communities studied, and the broader socio-political context. Additionally, the panel will explore the tension between objectivity and subjectivity, the use of reflexivity, and the ways in which qualitative methods can reveal the complexities of marginalized communities. Ultimately, this panel aims to highlight the importance of critical engagement with the ethical implications of knowledge production in criminology, proposing that claims to truth in qualitative research must be interrogated, nuanced, and contextually situated.

Subtopic

• Topic 8: Methodologies in Criminology / Advances in Qualitative Methods (Qualitative Methods WG)

Chair

• Ioannis Papadopoulos, Directorate of Social Sciences; University of Salford, Manchester, UK

Individual Presentations

• Why is my truth closer to ‘reality’ than yours? Operationalizing judgemental rationality in criminological research. - Muzammil Quraishi, Professor of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of Salford, Manchester, UK.

• Contested Truths and Dual Narratives: Reflexivity in Researching Unaccompanied Migrant Minors in Detention - Ioannis Papadopoulos, Directorate of Social Sciences; University of Salford, Manchester, UK

• Interrogating the fantastical ‘claims to truth’ in counterterrorism. - Fahid Qurashi, University of Salford