Green Criminology and the Law

"This illuminating and invaluable collection draws together international and interdisciplinary contributors to explore the Green Criminology-Law nexus. Covering topics from plastics to policing, activism to ecocide, the chapters provide a survey of what we can learn and use as the basis for moving forward in education, politics and practice." —Nigel South, Professor of Sociology, University of Essex, UK. "Green Criminology and the Law is a fantastic collection of insightful chapters, all of which offer crucial theoretical and empirical insights on vitally important topics. A much needed intervention that will make the field even more relevant to students, scholars and the wider public in these times of ecological crisis." —Damien Short, Professor, University of London, UK This edited collection is grounded in a green criminological approach to understand whether the law, both in effect and implications, reflects, refracts, or sublimates the social, political and ecological conditions of our times. Since its initial proposal in the 1990s, green criminology has focused the criminological gaze on a wide array of harms and crimes affecting humans, animals other than humans, ecological systems, and the planet as a whole. As a continuously blossoming field of criminological inquiry, green criminology recognizes and examines behaviours that are both illegal and legal (yet detrimental), and in varying ways has made great efforts to provide insight into harms in a more fulsome manner. At the same time, there have been many significant legal instances, domestic, and international, including case law, legislation, regulation, treaties, agreements and executive directives which have troubled the law’s understanding of green harms, illegal and legal activity, pushing legal boundaries in the process. Recognizing that humanity and nature are inextricably integrated, Green Criminology and the Law reflects the range and depth of high-quality research and scholarship, combining contributions from established scholars willing to explore new topics and recent entrants who are breaking new scholarly ground. James Gacek is Assistant Professor in the Department of Justice Studies at the University of Regina, Canada. Richard Jochelson is Professor and Dean of Law at Robson Hall Law School, Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba, Canada.