Classic Writings in Anarchist Criminology: A Historical Dismantling of Punishment and Domination

by Anthony J. Nocella II (Editor), Mark Seis (Editor), Jeff Shantz (Editor)

Anarchists were among the earliest modern thinkers to offer a systemic critique of criminal justice and among the first to directly criticize academic criminology while formulating a critical criminology. They identified the sources of social problems in social structures and relations of inequality and recognized that the institutions preferred by mainstream criminologists as would-be solutions to social problems were actually the causes or enablers of those harms in the first place. This volume collects critical writings on criminology from radicals and thinkers like William Godwin, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, Mikahil Bakunin, Peter Kropotkin, Lucy Parsons, Emma Goldman, and many others.

Genres: Sociology, Politics, Nonfiction, Theory, Crime, Philosophy

324 pages, Paperback

Published April 30, 2019

About the author

Anthony J. Nocella II, Ph.D., award-winning author, community organizer, and educator is a Visiting Professor in the School of Education at Hamline University and Senior Fellow of the Dispute Resolution Institute at the Hamline Law School. Nocella is a scholar-activist grounded in the field of education and peace and conflict studies. He is internationally known for his innovative, transformative, and intersectional collaborations among fields of study, social movements, scholars, communities, and activists.

Dr. Nocella has published more than fifty scholarly articles or book chapters, co-founded more than ten active political organizations and serves on four boards. He has founded three book series and co-founded three journals - Green Theory and Praxis, Peace Studies Journal, and Journal of Critical Animal Studies, is on the editorial board of three other journals, and has published more than fifteen books.

Dr. Nocella has guest lectured, provided professional development trainings, and facilitated youth workshops to hundreds of school districts, universities, colleges, high schools, middle schools and many prisons and detention facilities around the Americas, such as Onondaga County School District, St. Cloud School District, Hillbrook Youth Detention Facility, Auburn Prison, Environmental Protection Agency, Brock University, UCLA, Hofstra University, New York University Law School, Rutgers University Law School, Boston College, University of Pennsylvania, Haverford College, Swarthmore College, University of Texas, Yale University, and Princeton University.

Areas of Expertise: social justice education, school to prison pipeline, urban education, cultural relevant pedagogy, critical pedagogy, disability studies/pedagogy, environmental education/justice, ecopedagogy, youth culture, transformative justice, hip hop studies, gender and sexuality studies, critical animal studies, eco-ability, justice studies, and peace and conflict studies.

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very useful book as it presented foundational readings in what we would anachronistically call anarchist criminology, beginning with William Godwin's "An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice" from 1793, making its way through the 19th century with Proudhon, Bakunin, Spies, and Kropotkin, and concluding with early 20th century anarchists like Emma Goldman, Lucy Parsons, and Berkman. The reason for my three star rating is that it really was just like a compilation of readings, it did not give useful notes to explain some of the more esoteric references within the texts, or introductions to the readings and the writers (other than 2 or 3 paragraphs) that would really situate the anarchists in their contexts and in relation to each other. Better introductions and notes would also have made it easier to assign these readings to students within the context of a criminology course.

[Librarian Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a background in Criminal Justice, yet I had never heard of anarchist criminology before; it most certainly was never taught while attending college, whether in undergrad or graduate school. So when I came upon this book in my local library, I had to learn what this was about! After reading this, I think this book and any complementary materials related to the subject should be taught in Criminal Justice academic colleges throughout the country. Which is why the book should have provided more information in regards to the historical context of what these early anarchist criminology leaders were responding to along with their backgrounds, specifically at it relates to the anarchist movement; there was only very brief information regarding both. The book also would have benefited by providing comparative text on how these early writings relate to the circumstances and debates of today. The book left me wanting more; however, it would serve as an invaluable text in any Criminal Justice/Criminology course that challenges students to think critically about our criminal justice system, in which professors would fill in the blanks that the book missed out on providing.

[Ira · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good compilation of anarchist essays dealing with the problem of the state, its dismantling and how it's all interconnected with the workers' struggle and the prison system.
There are minimal notes regarding each author and their writings so if you've never heard of anarchism, it would probably be hard to place the ideas into the right context. Even then, I imagine it could easily spark curiosity to continue reading on these subjects.
I got the book at an anarchist bookfair and it's striking how not much has changed since these essays were written, over 100 years back. On the contrary, we can see that the systems that were just taking shape back then are now swinging in full force. Last century brought a lot of change to everyone's lives and we'll have to do it again. Then, we can use our predecessors' knowledge and analysis to build upon.