ABSTRACT
Contemporary Criminological Theory is a companion to the fifth edition of An Introduction to Criminology which both develops themes introduced in that earlier text and incorporates new critical and radical themes/theoretical approaches in the context of a fragmented even chaotic socio-political environment in post-industrial societies. It is a critical discussion of the criminological and socio-economic responses to a contemporary social condition which have had a differential but negative impact on the lives of most social groups in society, with the outcoming being widespread pessimism and anger. This chapter provides introductions to – and summaries of – the chapters in the book. Subjects covered include often contentious, critical discussion about constitutive, anarchist, green and species, bio-critical, cultural, abolitionist and convict criminologies; globalization and organized crime; Southern theory; critical race theory; terrorism and state violence; gender, feminism and masculinity; ultra-realism; and radical moral communitarianism. All of these issues are located in the context of debates about the fragmentation of modernity and the postmodern condition; the rise of political populism; risk, surveillance and social control; and speculation about living in post-COVID-19 society and the future of neoliberalism.
