Editorial 1(1): January 2025

Editorial 1(1) - January 2025 With immense pride and excitement, I introduce our inaugural issue for (De)Constructing Criminology: International Perspectives. This milestone represents the culmination of collective effort, passion, and a shared vision to create a journal that advances, deconstructs, and challenges the frontiers of criminology. Our journal serves as a space where research in various forms, critical discussions, and innovative methodologies assemble. We are committed to fostering a dialogue that informs, inspires, and honours the positionality of diverse perspectives. The editorial team is proud to see this journal come to fruition. It was envisioned from a panel presentation at the virtual 2021 EuroCrim conference of the European Society of Criminology. My presentation was one of several on the subject of gendered violence. Our in-between chats sparked a realization that a journal is needed to support new scholars and scholars outside the global north and west. We wanted to create something truly international, open access, and diverse. Over the years, my colleagues in England (Dr. Helen Williams) and South Africa (Dr. Lufuno Sadiki) and I chatted and strategized the journal’s purpose, values, and positionality within criminology. We created an open-access journal that is anchored at my home institution, Mount Royal University, and with our law librarian joining us in 2022 (Madelaine Vanderwerff), its creation commenced. These scholars bring a generous blend of discerning judgment, demanding standards, unyielding professionalism, and deep commitment to launch our journal. This editorial team also reflects our field’s intellectual diversity, mirroring the intellectual pluralism the journal seeks to embody. I am deeply grateful to our authors, whose work anchors this publication, and to our reviewers, who have generously shared their expertise to ensure the quality and integrity of our journal. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the editorial team, whose dedication and meticulous efforts have made this launch possible. To support our authors the journal adopts a rolling publication model. This being our first year, we are publishing three articles in 2025 and aim to publish more this year. Keep your submissions coming! These publications illustrate our journal\u27s commitment to deconstructing and reimagining criminology by featuring articles that challenge dominant narratives and amplify marginalised perspectives. They demonstrate the journal\u27s commitment to showcasing international scholarship and providing access to publishing for early career researchers. The articles are wide-ranging in topic and method and highlight the creativity of current criminologists. The Good Guest explores the lived experiences of women prisoners in the UK through their writings; The Pink Line critically analyses the impact of anti-homosexuality laws in Uganda; and Homicide with Post-Mortem Dismemberment examines Italian forensic case studies.  As we continue moving forward, I invite you to engage with us—whether as readers, contributors, or reviewers. Together, we can shape a publication that not only reflects the present state of knowledge in criminology (and its adjacent disciplines) but also charts a course for a path that deconstructs criminology. Thank you for joining us in this exciting new chapter. I look forward to the conversations and discoveries that lie ahead.Kindly,Dr. D. Scharie Tavcer Editor-in-Chie

The good guest : Reconceptualising creative writing with women in prison as an alternative way of knowing through relational ethics as epistemic justice

Prison research is a fraught endeavour. More so when this research involves the use of “oft-maligned” creative research methods such as women’s prison writing viewed as knowledge situated in lived experience. Stories reflect the prevalent hegemonic patterns found in cultural, economic and political contexts in any given society. They compete for acceptance and dominance. In this paper, I critically reflect on prison research, and the dual challenge presented to engage with the traditions that have shaped the persistence of cultural sanctioning of certain forms of knowledge over others. This challenge pivots on critical engagement with creative and academic writing, whilst at the same time having to write within the system that is part of the tradition. It necessitates wider engagement with the ethicality of prison research, moving beyond external procedural ethical validation to consider the researcher’s ethical standpoint in working towards relational ethics and epistemic justice for women’s prison writing as alternative ways of knowing

Navigating the Pink Line? LGBTQ+ Ugandans as neither ‘victims’ nor ‘deviants’

With the introduction of the Anti-Homosexual Act (2023) in Uganda, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have faced significant socio-historical challenges in terms of shifting legal landscapes and the accompanying prejudice and discrimination which have emerged from this. Constructed as both ‘deviants’ of native Ugandan culture, or as ‘victims’ of a homophobic regime. Whilst a clear ‘pink line’ (Gevisser, 2020) has formed internally and externally to the Ugandan state, which has been impacted by a range of actors and social forces such as US evangelicals, the Ugandan state, the globalising of LGBTQ+ international rights and international actors, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have often been polarised and framed into the two narratives outlined above. However, whilst some post-colonial states such as Uganda are beginning to strategically renew their beliefs in ‘traditional’ sexual relations in opposition to the influence of LGBTQ+ identity politics as posited from the West, this has drawn a (pink) line in the sand. Using Gevisser’s (2020) concept of the ‘pink line,’ this article will examine the changing socio, political, and legal challenges faced by LGBTQ+ Ugandans, as well as the variety of forces which have enabled the Ugandan state to seek stringent legal responses toward LGBTQ+ Ugandans, including how this has affected LGBTQ+ Ugandans on the ground. We argue that due to this global polarisation of ‘traditional’ Ugandan values versus the modernity of LGBTQ+ identity politics, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have been framed as either helpless victims in a homophobic society by global responses to the introduction of the Act, or as deviants living within a traditional society which pose a threat to Ugandan social norms. Contrary to both perspectives, LGBTQ+ Ugandans have been present and active in their own agency to push for change for LGBTQ+ populations in Uganda, despite the introduction of the darkening climate set against the Anti-Homosexuality Act (2023)

Homicide with post-mortem dismemberment:: The relationship between psychiatric disease of the killer, crime scene organization, and corpse concealment.

Homicides involving post-mortem corpse dismemberment are uncommon and present unique difficulties for criminologists and investigators. Mental health issues, their associated legal defenses, and persistent stigma usually become the focus in court hearings in these cases. If overlooked during investigations, these factors can markedly sway sentencing outcomes. A deeper scientific understanding of the connections between post-mortem dismemberment, crime scene, and corpse concealment could transform investigative methods and inspire new legal perspectives. It could also provide guidance for jurors during sentencing. This study aims to explore how a killer\u27s mental health, corpse concealment, and crime scene characteristics (based on the FBI\u27s organized/disorganized model) interrelate in cases of post-mortem dismemberment homicides. We conducted an analysis on 11 homicide cases using information available in public resources and legal databases. This data included information about the homicides themselves, the subsequent court proceedings, and any psychiatric evaluations conducted. Our goal was to investigate the correlation between killer\u27s mental illness, crime scene organization level, and corpse concealment. Kendall’s tau correlation and linear regression was performed in order to verify any possible association. The following study suggests that post-mortem dismemberment homicide, in combination with disorganized crime scenes and no corpse concealment, is linked to the mental illness of the killer. These findings can be contextualized within scientific discussions about criminal profiling or psychopathological profiling and prompt a re-evaluation of the unconscious bias in court sentencing, where motivations and extenuating circumstances such as mental health problems are often dismissed due to the gruesome nature of the crime scene

Indigenous Literature: Reading Conventions for Non-Indigenous Readers

This paper synthesizes Indigenous critical theories of literature and the cultural languages that shape Indigenous literary texts, centering these approaches, and arguing that without this body of literary criticism, it would be impossible for Indigenous and non-Indigenous readers alike to appreciate Indigenous literature, including its profound value to humanity. It demonstrates the power of these theories by offering a reading of Thomas King’s The Back of the Turtle using them as lenses to uncover the rich tapestry, the convergence of tradition and innovation, and the transformative power of Indigenous narratives in shaping our shared understanding of humanity. In many ways, the paper argues, Indigenous critical theories have significantly paved the way for the study and interpretation of Indigenous literature, broadening the scope for readers from diverse backgrounds.   &nbsp

An OT and PT Explore SoTL: Our Journey Towards Strengthening, Expanding, and Scaffolding Anti-Oppressive Pedagogy in a School of Rehabilitation Science

Physical therapy (PT) students and graduates in Saskatchewan, Canada, are entering a health system requiring enhanced cultural humility, social justice, self-decolonization, and anti-oppressive practice skills. In this reflective essay, we describe our exploration of the complexities of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), which provide insight into our current and evolving teaching and learning practices in a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) academic program. Applying SoTL to our MPT pedagogy provides a rigorous, evidence-informed research approach impacting social-justice learning outcomes among PT learners, but we emphasize that it is more than the outcomes that give SoTL its strength. SoTL is also a process that strengthens relationships, builds a culture of collective leadership grounded in relational accountability and humility, lays the foundation for equitable engagement with students as partners, requires reflection and introspection, and could arguably itself be considered a social justice intervention

The Historical Demaḷa Mahā Sǣya of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka: An Archaeological Analysis of its Construction Technology

The construction technology and archaeological findings from excavations at the historically significant Demala Maha Sǣya (Damila Thupa) the largest stupa located in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka is described in this article. Sinhala language publication

Le corps de Keetje, malmené dans la fiction et dans sa traduction ?

L’écrivaine belge Neel Doff (1858-1942) a rédigé toute son œuvre en français alors que ce n’était pas sa langue maternelle. Sa trilogie autobiographique met le « féminin » et le « corps » au cœur de la thématique à travers l’obscène, le traumatisme pubertaire et la prostitution. Le corps est un « texte signifiant à déchiffrer 1  » et nous tâcherons d’en découvrir davantage en comparant l’œuvre de Doff avec ses traductions en langue néerlandaise et allemande. L’un des objectifs est de déterminer dans quelle mesure les « erreurs » de traduction, ayant trait au corps, ouvrent d’autres fenêtres d’interprétation. Afin de mieux comprendre l’origine de ces « déviations », les extraits seront d’abord analysés selon les théories de dépaysement et domestication (Venuti, 2007) et de retraduction (Berman, 1990). Nous émettons l’hypothèse selon laquelle la vie (Delisle, 2002) et le genre (Von Flotow, 1991) de la personne qui traduit influencent les choix traductifs. Autre hypothèse, les stratégies de traduction féministe, objet de nombreuses polémiques, n’éviteraient-elles pas l’effacement que subit le corps de Keetje

Indigenous Resilience in Illustration: “Nimkii” and the Story of Survival

This Place: 150 Years Retold (edited by Ryan Howe and Jen Storm) marks a watershed moment in the portrayal of Indigenous histories in Canada. As a graphic novel anthology crafted by Indigenous creators, it turns the page on settler-centred narratives and restores narrative sovereignty. The stories offer an emotional journey through the past century and a half, exploring the resilience and resistance of communities that have endured a post-apocalyptic existence since the era of Contact. Readers bear witness to Indigenous imagination, psychic confrontations with the lingering impacts of genocide, and profound reflections on the nature of time and existence. This paper argues that, within the anthology, the story "Nimkii" stands out, offering a poignant representation of the resilience of Indigenous communities amidst the devastating historical event of the Sixties Scoop. Crafted by the writing of Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm and the artwork of Ryan Howe and Jen Storm, “Nimkii”’s narrative is a testament to the indomitable spirit of Indigenous Peoples, their deeply rooted connections to one another, and their fight to heal the enduring scars of colonial oppression. This paper offers an analysis of “Nimki”’s testimony, and closes by reflecting on the story’s potential impacts on an Indigenous reader

Letter to the editor

A letter in response to a previous article published in JAFN on human trafficking (Calow, 2024)