Whose criminology? : marginalised perspectives and populations within student production at the Montreal School of Criminology

Abstract

This study assumes that criminological student production reflects departmental and disciplinary tendencies. We empirically investigate the prevalence of and relationship between marginalised populations and criminological perspectives based on two decades’ worth of thesis and dissertation abstracts published by the Montreal School of Criminology in Québec, Canada (µ=408). Descriptive statistics show the overwhelming prevalence of conventional criminology (72%) compared to studies questioning or discussing alternatives to the status quo. A minority of studies consider marginalised populations. We then examine factors predicting non-conventional perspectives within student production, using a logistic regression model. Studies considering race, social class, sociological aspects within criminology, or resorting to qualitative methods show the strongest likelihood of relying on non-conventional perspectives, whereas studies considering age increase the likelihood of relying on conventional perspectives. In closing we urge criminologists working within all perspectives to meaningfully include and consider how their work impacts marginalised populations.