Queering Criminology and the Periphery

<p dir="ltr">In recent times, the emergence of Queer Criminology has drawn criminological attention to the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in criminal justice contexts. This movement of scholarship and activism, however, has largely emerged in the Global North. Its epistemological, conceptual, and political foundations remain firmly situated in the Global North, drawing heavily on LGBTQ and queer theorising and politics, which are products of the European and American academy, developing in response to specific concerns encountered within those contexts. The field also relies largely on Anglo-European conceptualisations of sexuality and gender and particularly on identity categories formulated within these contexts. Moreover, Queer Criminology is positioned clearly within the discipline of criminology, which has contributed to the perpetuation and expansion of colonial regimes throughout the Global South. Thus, Queer Criminology aligns closely with the criminologies, theoretical conceptualisations, and political movements of the Global North. The emergence of Southern Criminology, then, offers an opportunity for Queer Criminology to critically interrogate its epistemological, conceptual, and political foundations and the policies and reforms that develop from it. It allows us to reflect on whether Queer Criminology is relevant to and can speak to the criminal justice-related concerns of sexuality- and gender-diverse people in the Global South.</p><p dir="ltr">This chapter undertakes this task. By setting Queer Criminology and Southern Criminology into conversation, it provides a critique of Queer Criminology’s positioning within the abovementioned dynamics and allows us to consider the implications of such critiques. The chapter first utilises southern theorising to develop a critique of Queer Criminology and queer politics. Then, drawing from empirical research on gay dating app-related victimisation in India, the chapter illuminates the importance of engaging with the provocations of Southern Criminology in queer criminological thought on such victimisation.</p>