Criminological and Legal Consequences of Climate Change (eds. S. Farrall, T. Ahmed, D. French) - Book review
Published 15 January 2013
Introduction
The book Criminological and legal consequences of climate change is a collection of papers from a seminar, and so reading this review may be like asking someone about a conference they attended. Their summary will inevitably be patchy, focussing on some areas while ignoring others: commending highlights, condemning lowlights, and contributing no light on some areas.
The collection is well edited by Professors Stephen Farrall and Duncan French, and Dr Tawhida Ahmed. They explain that the seminar and this book (1) examine climate change's consequences (both legal and criminological), (2) seek to identify areas of concern, and (3) suggest future areas for research.
The collection is usefully book-ended by an introduction from the three editors and a more substantial concluding paper by Ahmed and French. The introduction describes the collection as 'some of the initial forays into this area of research by criminologists and legal scholars'. A metaphor of exploration is apt. Some expeditions are well planned and executed. They produce knowledge and benefits to a wider population. However other explorers acquit themselves poorly – untested assumptions are revealed to be shaky, the way is lost, and little contribution is apparent beyond illuminating what others should not do. It has been observed, in another context, that '…some of the wilder shores of criminology are proving embarrassing in polite scientific company'. I know insufficient about criminology to make any general observations on whether 'climate change criminology' inhabits those 'embarrassing wilder shores', but found papers in this collection to contribute useful analysis and bases for future work and planning.
The book is like most conferences in having a considerable range of material: the practical, the esoteric, the theoretical, the brilliantly incisive, the padded prognostications, and the moments of wishing one had had the benefit of reading some of analysis at an earlier time. The papers are all well referenced, edited and presented, allowing the reader the ability to follow up on any particular issues which could not be covered in detail any particular paper. The concise notes about each author are also useful – informative without tipping into advertising. The book is a professional production, including a fulsome index which will be of considerable use to those wanting to pursue particular issues.
Footnotes omitted from this introduction.
Criminological and Legal Consequences of Climate Change
Editors: Stephen Farrall, Tawhida Ahmed, Duncan French
ISBN: 978-1849461863, Publisher: Hart Publishing, 282pp hbk 9781849461863
http://www.hartpub.co.uk/books/details.asp?isbn=9781849461863