Constructions of Deviance by Japanese and German Youth: A Criminological Comparison as a ‘Bottom-Up’ Project

Bernd Dollinger,Stephanie Osawa,Sarah Schirmer

doi:10.1177/14732254211020119

Abstract

In criminological country comparisons, countries are often assumed to be relatively homogeneous units ( ‘methodological nationalism’). Within individual countries, there seems to be a more or less uniform understanding of crime. In contrast to this supposition, we assume the possibility that interpretations of deviance or crime can also diverge to a great extent within countries. Based on an explorative comparative study with young people in Japan and Germany, we show that there are both similarities and differences: The youths we interviewed in the two countries share some views on norms and norm violations (for instance, relating to school norms which they, at the same time, question, and acknowledge), while in others they differ (e.g. concerning the assessment of the severity of deviant behavior). Criminological country comparisons, we conclude, should pay more attention to controversies on the definition of deviance and crime and to heterogeneity within countries.

Highlights

It should be indisputable that country comparisons are of great importance for criminology
Our aim is to reconstruct whether the young people we interviewed in Japan and Germany reveal similar or nationally specific interpretations of norm violations and crime
Our study is explorative in this respect, as we interviewed young people with relatively open, semi-structured interviews in one school each in Japan and Germany

Summary

Introduction

It should be indisputable that country comparisons are of great importance for criminology They make it possible to gain insights into how crime and the way it is dealt with are influenced internationally. The relevant literature is growing ‘exponentially’ (Nelken, 2017: 416) Depending on their perspective and objectives, country comparisons are carried out in very different ways. There are considerable differences in methodological aspects Comparisons are made both through statistical calculations (e.g. Lappi-Seppälä, 2018; Sutton, 2004) and through qualitative studies focusing on specific topics Other differences concern theoretical approaches, types of offenses, groups of perpetrators, specific characteristics of countries (culture, religion, politics, economy, etc.). This list of differences could be extended considerably, and so comparisons between countries are extremely diverse. What is compared in country comparisons differs substantially (Harrendorf, 2018)

Methods

Results

Conclusion