Critical Criminological Understandings of Adult Pornography and Woman Abuse: New Progressive Directions in Research and Theory

Walter Dekeseredy

doi:10.5204/ijcjsd.v4i4.184

Abstract

There is a small, but growing, social scientific literature on the racist and violent nature of contemporary adult pornography. However, considerably more empirical and theoretical work needs to be done to advance a critical criminological understanding of how such hurtful sexual media contribute to various forms of woman abuse in intimate relationships. The main objective of this article is to briefly review the relevant literature and to suggest a few new progressive empirical and theoretical directions.

Highlights

Critical criminological work on adult pornography consumption and its violent consequences is limited compared to the amount of progressive intellectual attention given to other major social harms, such as racist police practices, mass incarceration, and environmental crime
There are different learned understandings, some of which sharply disagree with my critical criminological position, one that is in tune with those of anti‐pornography radical feminists such as Dines (2010), Funk (2006), and Jensen (2007)
Queer criminology is a new variant of critical criminology and perhaps some greatly needed empirical and theoretical work will be generated by scholars in this field

Summary

Introduction

Critical criminological work on adult pornography consumption and its violent consequences is limited compared to the amount of progressive intellectual attention given to other major social harms, such as racist police practices, mass incarceration, and environmental crime. There are different learned understandings, some of which sharply disagree with my critical criminological position, one that is in tune with those of anti‐pornography radical feminists such as Dines (2010), Funk (2006), and Jensen (2007). It is beyond the scope of this article to reproduce debates between those who find value in adult pornography and those who sharply oppose it. Walter S DeKeseredy: Critical Criminological Understandings of Adult Pornography and Woman Abuse

Critical criminology

Pornography and woman abuse

Recent research

New directions in research and theory

Findings

Conclusion