New harmscapes and decolonising justice

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Abstract

While much criminological focus on decolonising justice has been on the harms of the criminal justice system, dismantling colonial justice systems and developing alternatives to this, the focus of the roundtable will be to reflect more broadly on the implications of decolonising justice in the face of converging harmscapes. By ‘harmscapes’ is meant the ‘complex landscapes—both physical and social—where harm is generated and perpetuated through systems of inequality, environmental degradation, and socio-political structures.’ These harmscapes – some of which have planetary implications – greatly surpass what a conventional criminal justice or criminal justice-like response could offer and require a paradigm shift informed by contextual realities rather than normative dream. This is particularly pertinent in contexts where the criminal justice system has never delivered equitable or effective justice or access to justice but where there is nevertheless a continual commitment to reform attempts driven by vested neocolonial Global interests rather than by the realities and impacts of new harmscapes. This roundtable discussion will reflect on what these new harmscapes entail (predominantly affecting Global South contexts); the realities of the plurality and hybridity of ‘justice’ offerings in contexts of converging harmscapes; and the implications of reimagining ‘justice’ in the age of new harmscapes.

Subtopic

• Topic 1: Perspectives on Crime and Criminal Behavior / Critical Criminology

Chair

• Emiline Smith, University of Glasgow

Discussants

• Danielle Watson, Queensland University of Technology

• Julie Berg, University of Glasgow

• Naomi Oosterman, Erasmus University Rotterdam

• Annette Hübschle, University of Cape Town