CRIM 2650 Lecture Notes - Lecture 13: Structural Marxism, Bourgeoisie, Proletariat

• School: York University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 2650
• Professor: Anita Lam

Document Summary

Instrumental marxism: criminal law was viewed as an instrument for controlling the lower- classescapitalist class were conferred powers that enabled them to act in ways to serve their own interests. Critics argue that instrumental marxism preceded from false assumptions. They are critical of mainstream criminology: they viewed the policy-oriented research of administrative criminology as serving the capitalist class and system. Main area of expertise: apolitical definition of ideologyhe was interested in studying the nature and origin of ideas (how are they derived?) His ideas are an example of critical theory: inquires into the conditions that make knowledge possiblethe conditions that make something possible (interested in examining the historical conditions that made the human subject possible) Focus on discipline and punishment (his critical study of the prison system) In studying the 19th century prison system, this penal system was made possible through criminology, which is the knowledge system that legitimates this institution.