Introduction to Special Issue on comparative criminology: Context, scope and applicability in critical criminological research
| Author | Matthew Light,Anne-Marie Singh |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/13624806221134310 |
| Published date | 01 November 2022 |
| Date | 01 November 2022 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Introduction to Special Issue
on comparative criminology:
Context, scope and
applicability in critical
criminological research
Matthew Light
University of Toronto, Canada
Anne-Marie Singh
Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada
Abstract
This Special Issue highlights the value of the comparative case study method for theory-
building and refinement in criminology. Early figures in criminology, including those in
the Chicago School, were aware of the importance of scope and applicability, which
refer to the temporal, geographic, or other contextual boundaries of a theory, yet
the field as a whole has not always given these issues due attention. While the discipline
already deploys comparisons, the contributions in our collection showcase how a more
structured and deliberate use of a comparative case study approach engages issues of
context, scope and applicability of criminological theory including recent discussions
about Anglocentrism and the Global North/South divide.
Keywords
Comparative criminology, critical criminology, theory development, Anglocentrism, scope and
applicability, Chicago School, comparative case study
Corresponding author:
Matthew Light, Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Email: matthew.light@utoronto.ca
Article
Theoretical Criminology
2022, Vol. 26(4) 525–536
© The Author(s) 2022
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DOI: 10.1177/13624806221134310
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