Southern Criminology Answers

Question 1 1. What do you make of the critique that Australia is one of the 'selected enclaves of the symbolic north located south of the equator'? (Donnermeyer, 2017:128; in Moosavi, 2019). Answer: The critique that Australia is an "enclave of the symbolic north" south of the equator reflects the reality that, despite its geographical location in the Global South, Australia shares many characteristics with the Global North, particularly in terms of its social, political, and academic structures. Australia's history as a settler colony and its alignment with Western, particularly British, cultural and political norms, positions it within the global power structures typically associated with the North. Moreover, the dominance of English and the racialization of Australians as predominantly white further aligns the country with the symbolic North. This critique highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of how power and knowledge are distributed globally, acknowledging that geographical location does not always correspond with one's position within global hierarchies of power. 2. Particularly given the fact that many Australians are racialized as white; English is the dominant language? Answer: The racialization of many Australians as white and the dominance of English as the primary language reinforce Australia's position as an enclave of the symbolic North. This linguistic and racial alignment with the Global North influences Australia's academic and cultural outputs, often privileging Northern perspectives and marginalizing those from the broader Global South, including Indigenous Australian perspectives. This situation underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing the hegemonic influences that shape the production and dissemination of knowledge, even in regions geographically located in the South. Question 2 1. Could you speak a bit about the role that Indigenous Australian criminology has within the Southern criminological paradigm? Answer: Indigenous Australian criminology plays a crucial role within the Southern criminological paradigm by challenging the dominant Northern-centric narratives and highlighting the unique experiences and perspectives of Indigenous peoples. This approach seeks to decolonize criminological thought by re-centering the experiences of those who have been historically marginalized and by addressing the ongoing impacts of colonization. Indigenous criminology contributes to Southern criminology by offering alternative frameworks for understanding crime and justice, grounded in Indigenous knowledge systems and experiences, and by pushing for a more inclusive and democratized criminological discourse. 2. Can you clarify the similarities and dissimilarities with de/post-colonial Indigenous critiques of criminology? Answer: 1. Similar to de/post-colonial Indigenous critiques, Southern criminology seeks to deconstruct the hegemonic power structures that have historically shaped criminology and to reinsert the legacies of colonization into criminological analysis. Both approaches emphasize the importance of acknowledging and addressing the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous populations. However, Southern criminology differs in that it explicitly aims to democratize and pluralize knowledge production by building bridges across global divides, without necessarily opposing or rejecting Northern contributions. It adopts a pragmatic approach, seeking to incorporate and expand upon existing knowledge systems, rather than entirely discarding them. Question 3 1. We know you are conducting a very interesting research in Argentina. We know you speak Spanish; would you say this has been vital for you to engage with local literature? Answer: Yes, speaking Spanish has been vital for engaging with local literature in Argentina. Language is a key barrier in knowledge exchange, and being able to read, speak, and understand Spanish allows for direct engagement with local scholars, literature, and communities, which is essential for conducting meaningful and contextually relevant research. This linguistic capability enhances the ability to understand and appreciate the nuances of local perspectives, thereby enriching the research process and outcomes. 2. If yes, we were wondering if universities from English-speaking countries investing on their (English-speaking) graduate students to learn at least another language could be considered a practical step in this movement of southernizing knowledge? Answer: Absolutely, investing in language education for graduate students in English-speaking countries could be a practical and impactful step in the movement of southernizing knowledge. Learning another language opens up access to a broader range of perspectives and literatures, facilitating more inclusive and cross-cultural academic exchanges. This would help de-center the dominance of English and Northern perspectives in academia, fostering a more global and democratized approach to knowledge production, which is at the heart of the Southern criminological movement. Answer