Topic 6 Post-modernism

Question 1

Define globalisation

Answer 1

the increasing interconnectedness of the world - barriers are disappearing as a result of changes in trade, travel and technology

Question 2

Define a post-modern society

Answer 2

Society has moved in to a new era - a globalised, media saturated society in which signs become hyper real. Culture is fragmented, unstable and ever changing. Individuals change their identity through the consumption of brands and signs.

Question 3

Define transgressive approach

Answer 3

Crime should be reconceptualised as people using power to show disrespect for and causing harm to others. Rather than focusing on the breaking of laws they look a the notion of harm. They focus on harms of reduction and harms of repression.

Question 4

Define informal social controls

Answer 4

There has been an increasing use of private control agencies like security firms to control public places such as shopping centres

Question 5

Define edge work

Answer 5

This is behaviour that is seen to be risk taking and thrill seeking. Some people are predisposed to take risks and they may get involved in criminality for the thrill of it. This explains non-utilitarian crime such as joy riding.

Question 6

Define surveillance

Answer 6

This involves the monitoring of public behaviour to gather data for purposes such as crime control. The data gathered is used to regulate, manage or corrects people’s behaviour. For example, it may involve profiling people in order to sort them in to risks they pose.

Question 7

What are the key features of a post-modern society?

Answer 7

Class no longer constrains us, there’s no singular type of crime, identities are fragmented, society is media saturated.