ABSTRACT
Inspired by Agozino’s decolonization paradigm in criminology and Feagin, Vera, and Ducey’s Liberation Sociology (2014), we contend that public criminologies can and should coexist with liberation criminology. The chapter begins with a brief introduction to public sociology, which is followed by a description of the emergence of Eurocentric sociology. The authors illustrate that since its inception, European sociology simultaneously held the seeds of radical and conservative thought. We turn next to the question of “What is liberation criminology?” We offer an overview of what it looks like theoretically and practically, including in contrast to liberation sociology. We then describe the liberation criminology of W. E. B. Du Bois and Ida B. Wells-Barnett. Finally, we turn our attention fully to Agozino’s decolonization paradigm, including historical examples to illustrate the model. The significance of “doing” liberation criminology is explored throughout the chapter.
