Criminal law and community justice practices: feminism, antiracism, justice, the law

Activists and researchers have voiced concerns about feminism turning too much to criminalisation. The term ‘carceral feminism’ was coined to describe how feminist calls for law reform have supported the law-and-order agenda in the U.S. At the same time, scholars have opposed this way of framing feminist engagement with law reform and instead argued for a  more nuanced understanding. In recent years, Swedish crime policy has paid increased attention to sexual violations, and feminist calls for justice seem rather easily to become absorbed into an expanding ‘tough on crime’ discourse. #metoo is one feminist movement that has been framed as a prime example of carceral feminism where punishment becomes the solution of gendered injustice. Antiracist struggles have also showed a tendency to bring their contentions to court.

Against this background we want to invite feminist scholars to engage with questions of the relationship between feminist, antiracist (and other social justice) movements and punitive agendas. The panel aims to gather researchers exploring feminist and antiracist demands for justice and engagement with the law in general and criminal law in particular. What is the promises and pitfalls of activist engagement with the law in the current political intersection? How can the carceral logics of dominant activism as well as rehabilitative and educational justice visions be explored theoretically and methodologically? In the form of short presentations, panellists are invited to deal with feminist engagement with the law in the fields of sex, gender, gender identity, race, and violence and beyond.

Linnea Wegerstad1, Ulrika Andersson2, Maja Sager3, Lena Karlsson4 and Marta Kolankiewicz5

1Jur. Dr, Universitetslektor, Juridiska Fakulteten, Lunds Universitet

2Professor, Professor, Juridiska Fakulteten, Lunds Universitet

3Phd , Universitetslektor , Genusvetenskapliga Institutionen, Lunds Universitet

4Docent, Universitetslektor, Genusvetenskapliga Institutionen, Lunds Universitet

5Phd, Biträdande Universitetslektor, Genusvetenskapliga Institutionen, Lunds Universitet