Projects / Programmes
Družbeno nadzorstvo, kazenskopravni sistem, nasilje in preprečevanje viktimizacij v kontekstu visoko tehnološke družbe (Slovene)
January 1, 2009
- December 31, 2014
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.07.00 |
Social sciences |
Criminology and social work |
|
| 5.05.00 |
Social sciences |
Law |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.04 |
Social Sciences |
Sociology |
Researchers (21)
Organisations (1)
Significance for science
Criminology seems to be, at least first sight at least, somehow curios science, for its object – namely social control (producing and maintaining conformist patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving and reacting on deviant or criminal phenomena or agents) – spills over the whole field of social activities processes, institutions and structures. Therefore it comes as no surprise that criminology has been resting (since its very beginning) on theoretical and empirical results of kaleidoscopic multitude of various other disciplines (although selectively and not always with the same intensity), particularly sociological and psychological perspectives, political, legal and economic theory, philosophical and ethical reflections, anthropological and biological findings and historical science. The relationship between criminology and other scientific branches has been for a quite long time rather one-sided: researchers dealt with criminological questions according to their basic or initial education or specialization, rarely also in multi- or interdisciplinary way. In recent decades however, one can notice that typically criminological problematics increasingly enter into the sociological mainstream. Consequently, criminology departs more and more from its initially and traditionally marginal (or even obscure) position in the hierarchy of scientific disciplines, its transition in question being largely due to specific “normalization” of criminal activities and their protagonists, war against terror, “culture of fear”, repressive management of undesired migrations and intensifying of structural violence. Programme group of the Institute of Criminology has been taking active and critical part in contemporary studies of harmful and unjust phenomena (including their public apperception and ideological and repressive treatment) with theoretical work and empirical investigation, such as analysis of judicial cases, field research, interviews and questionnaires. I combined the investigation of criminological relevant problems in Slovene society with the critical analysis of developmental trends in Europe and world capitalist economy. Members of the programme group enter in the field of criminology and other related social sciences with original studies of enormously extended economic crime in post-socialist transition, newest forms of technologically supported control (in state and private arrangements), concrete effects of war against terrorism (in Afghanistan and Pakistan), violence to worker in the first and third world. They focused special attention to the control function of neoliberal ideology, consumer mentality, concurrence, fear and huge indebtedness of states and individuals in post-modern context. Moreover, researchers try to follow the newest relevant findings of Slovene and foreign scientists, lately particularly in the field of neurobiology of which recent discoveries are in many ways changing our traditional conceptions of human nature and aggression. There are many obvious proofs of the relevancy and quality of the research work of the programme group. For instance: numerous publications in Slovene and foreign scientific reviews, monographs, translations of the book The Tyranny of Choice (written by Renata Salecl) in German, Italian, Serbian, Turkish, Dane, Chinese, French, Polish, Russian and Korean language, successful bilateral scientific co-operations, lectures at foreign faculties, congresses, conferences and meetings.
Significance for the country
There is no doubt (and no secret) that various forms of crime and structural violence cause serious social, human, ecological, political, economic and moral problems. Public awareness of crime problems manifested itself in latest protests (“insurgences”), that has shaken considerably the Slovene social and political scene, although so far without noticeable positive effects. Programme group has been trying by its research work to offer better (more rational and comprehensive) understanding of causes and consequences of socially dangerous and harmful phenomena and to articulate suggestions for better (more effective and more just) crime policy. Researchers communicate with general and expert publics by articles, books, interviews, lectures, comments, active participation at conferences, round tables, seminars and consultations. Many members of the programme group work regularly or at least sporadically in the pedagogic process at under- and post-graduate level, e.g. at Ljubljana Faculty of law, Faculty of security studies, Faculty of pedagogy, Faculty of arts and sciences, Faculty of social work. In the year 2014, Ciril Keršmanc organized – with the co-operation of the Institute of criminology and Society for criminal law and criminology – two deep resounding and well attended meetings (within the cycle entitled “The theory meets the practice”). These meetings dealt with the media’s role in forming the popular perceptions of crime and with problems concerning the unconstitutional keeping of traffic data. Members of the programme group participated at various governmental and other task or project groups. For instance: they collaborated with Expert counsel for modern judicature (later renamed as Counsel for legal punishments), Counsel for science and technology, Counsel of the centre for safer internet, work groups for preparation and control over the realization of Resolution on national programme of repression and prevention of crime in the period between 2012 and 2016. Researchers are also members of editorial boards of many scientific reviews, such as Slovenian Law review, Revija za kriminalistiko in kriminologijo, Zbornik znanstvenih razprav, Varstvoslovje and Manet.
Audiovisual sources (1)
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2009,
2010,
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
