From romanticism to realism: Southern Criminology and its critics

As Southern Criminology develops, it will receive its fair share of criticisms. In this paper, I will review three early papers by sympathetic critics that seek to strengthen the approach. Chris Cunneen (2018) has argued that, when conceptualising the South, there should be more recognition of Indigenous experiences. Leon Moosavi (2018) has asked whether Australia suffers marginality that is comparable with developing countries. My own contribution criticises critical theorists for over-generalising and romanticising non-western cultures and viewpoints (Travers 2017). In discussing these critical traditions, I draw on my own experiences: supervising an Indigenous project in Tasmania; engaging with international literatures as an Australian academic; and attending a conference on juvenile justice in the People’s Republic of China. Realism will take us further on the journey than romanticism, even though it complicates any political program.