Propaganda Studies in Criminology

“ Propaganda Studies in Criminology constructs a missing bridge between the two critical discourses of the 20th century that most candidly confronted the emotional and moral features of populism in politics and penalty in the 20th century the confluence of which is now unmistakable in the 21st. Scholars of both fields will owe an enormous debt to this collection and its editors.”

- Joanathan Simon , Lance Robbins Professor of Criminal Justice Law, UC Berkeley Law, USA

“This is a ground-breaking collection that showcases what can be gained by using propaganda studies as the lens through which to enliven the criminological imagination. The editors and the contributing authors have produced a text of remarkable range and sophistication, transforming our understanding of “fake news” and the politics of misinformation more generally. It is an outstanding achievement.”

- Eamonn Carrabine , Professor of Criminology, University of Essex, UK

“A blazing volume that convincingly establishes propaganda as a crucial issue for criminology. The book constitutes a critical intellectual project tracing the common elements in Nazi messaging, the US War on Drugs, Indonesian genocide, far right environmental propaganda in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Australia and more.”

- Sarah Armstrong , Professor of Criminology, Glasgow University, UK

“ Propaganda Studies in Criminology breaks new ground for the field by taking propaganda seriously as a topic. It does so in diverse and novel domains that open up the propaganda lens in a way that is theoretically fertile and substantively interesting.”

 -John Braithwaite , Distinguished Professor, Australian National University, Australia

This edited collection comprehensively introduces propaganda studies to criminology academics, practitioners and students. It brings to life the challenges of analyzing, researching and responding to the problems of propaganda. It uses a broad definition of ‘propaganda’ to include such phenomena as ‘fake news’ and AI or algorithmic methods of control. It includes some more classic readings and analysis of propaganda studies through contemporary case studies, such as the war on drugs. It provides a key resource for research and teaching.

Deborah H. Drake is Professor of Criminology and Social Justice at The Open University, UK. 

Reece Walters is Professor of Criminology at Deakin University, Australia.