225-C11 - Critical Theories

Question 1

conflict perspective/theory

Answer 1

• assumes that societies are more divideded by conflict rather than consensus, in the struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, in which the working class takes on the majority of the production work, while the bourgeoisie capitalizes on the products
• social norms and values are endorsed by the more powerful/dominant groups in society, and benefit them

Question 2

Base

Answer 2

production forces, or the materials and resources, that generate the goods society needs (working class)

Question 3

superstructure

Answer 3

all other aspects of society outside of the base (the political-legal system of the state and consciousness—or ideology—in general)

Question 4

Marxism

Answer 4

Karl Marx’s theories about society, economics, and politics

Question 5

influence of marx on criminologies

Answer 5

• criminologists study marx’s ideas on the relationship between crime and the social world, how social, political, and economic structures give rise to crime
• law and crime should not be studied in isolation, but in relation to the whole of society, particularly with economy

Question 6

who was the developer of cultural conflict theory?

Answer 6

thorsten sellin

Question 7

cultural conflict theory

Answer 7

• the cultural conflict between the pervasive values and beliefs
• including crime and law

Question 8

conduct norms

Answer 8

cultural rules dictating what conduct is appropriate

Question 9

Culture

Answer 9

learned behaviours which consists of the shared values, belief, language, and practices that define a people as a group/society.

Question 10

Material culture

Answer 10

totality of physical objects and belongings of members of a group of people (e.g., money, weapons, utensils, clothing, ornaments etc.)

Question 11

Non-material culture

Answer 11

does not include any physical objects or artifacts include ideas, beliefs, values, norms etc. that may help shape society (e.g., languages, dress codes, etiquette, rituals, religion, laws, punishments, values, and ethics).

Question 12

criminal norms (in cultural conflict theory)

Answer 12

“conduct norms” codified into laws

Question 13

crime in cultural conflict theory

Answer 13

crime is the result of conduct norms of one dominant group beign extended over a group with different conduct norms minority

Question 14

developers of group conflict theory

Answer 14

George Vold and Richard Quinney

Question 15

crime in group conflict theory according to Vold

Answer 15

• crime occurs because of conflict bweteen competing interest groups (minority contrasts the majority)
• crime occurs from conflict between competing interest groups ving for power

Question 16

crime in group conflict theory according to quinney

Answer 16

• groups secure their interests throguh the creation of criminal law

Question 17

propositions of quinney’s group conflict theory (protection of ingroup interests)

Answer 17

1. crime is human conduct deined by authorized agents ina politically-organized society
2. crime includes behaviours that conflict with teh interests of groups with the power to shape public policy
3. crime regulation is administered by groups with teh power to shape enforcement and administration fo criminal law
4. behaviours are stuctured in relation to what is defined as crime, actions have relative probabilities of being deined as criminal
5. conceptions of defined crime are constructured and diffused by means of communication e.g. mass media
6. the social reality of crime is constructed (via the formulation and application of crime definitions

Question 18

instrumental marxism

Answer 18

the state is the direct servant/tool of the ruling class, who uses the state/law to further their own interests

Question 19

critiques of instrumental marxism

Answer 19

• wrongly portrays ruling class as homogenous (e.g. not everyone who is rich is part of the law)
• ignores constraints on the powers of the ruling class
• ignores legislation that is contradictor
• overly deterministic (assumes economy is the (only) foundation of the superstructure)

Question 20

[NI] Quinney’s Critical Marxist theory of Crime

Answer 20

1. American society is based on an advanced capitalist economy.
2. The state is organized to serve the interests of the dominant economic class.
3. Criminal law is an instrument of the state and ruling class for maintaining and perpetuating the existing social and economic order.
4. Crime control in capitalist society is realized through institutions and agencies controlled by political elite, representing ruling class interests.
5. The contradictions of advanced capitalism require that the subordinate classes remain oppressed by whatever means necessary, especially through the legal system.
6. Only with the collapse of capitalist society and the creation of a new society, based on socialist principles, will there be a solution to crime

Question 21

Structural Marxism

Answer 21

argues that state institution functions in the long-term interests of capitalism (not as direct as in instrumental marxism)

Question 22

what is the “relative autonomy” of states and institutions in structural marxism?

Answer 22

the state and its institutions have some independence from specific elits in teh capitalist class

Question 23

Spitzer’s Marxian Theory of Deviance

Answer 23

• criminalization of behaviour is often directed at problem population that arise in capitalist societies
• suplus populations that are against capitalist structure (e.g. homeless, radicals, activists)

Question 24

Greenberg’s Juvenile Delinquency

Answer 24

Juveniles are excluded from access to income (surplus population) –> delinquency to finance leisure and social activities

conflict is between the desiret o participate in activities and lack of legitimate sources to fund these activities

Question 25

theories under structural marxism

Answer 25

• marxist theory of deviance
• juvenile delinquency

Question 26

Marxists approaches in corporate crime reveals…

Answer 26

• corporate crime results in much greather negative impact compared with “street crime”
• it is motivated by capitalism and profit maximization

Question 27

critiques of structural marxism

Answer 27

• tendency towards circular reasoning: Crime exists because of capital class exploitation (base assumption of the theory)
• too much emphasis on structure, not so much human agency (assumes no free will/individual accountability)
• exclusive focus on class relations rather than other considerations (e.g. gender and race oppression)