Nationalism and Criminal Justice in Europe

Nationalism is a complex social process and has not been very well understood or utilized in criminology. This is surprising because the concept has significant explanatory power and can unlock deep and meaningful social practices in ways that competing accounts do not. Nationalism has multiple forms and configurations, as it operates as a cultural practice, ideology, institutional arrangement, social movement, and emotional register, each with implications for criminal justice, each with integrative and exclusionary elements. This review takes up salient dimensions of nationalism to show not only its relevance for criminology but also how nationalism is foundational to criminal justice itself and its contemporary transformations. European societies are facing a series of challenges in nearly all areas of social life, including demographic declines, cultural clashes over immigration, fear of crime, and unmet demands for increased security. The interplay of nationalism and criminal justice is at the center of these conflicts and possible resolutions.