The Violence of Law

Burnett, Jon; Nafstad, Ida

Abstract

This editorial introduces a special issue of Justice, Power and Resistance interrogating the violence of law. The special issue draws and expands on discussions in the European Group for the Study of Deviance and Social Control’s 51st annual conference, held in Turku in September 2023. Critically exploring ‘the role of law in violence production and the ways in which law permits or fails to prevent harmful practices beyond their legal qualification’, this conference challenged participants to think critically about the role and functions of law in the context of ‘multi-faceted and interconnected forms’ of suffering. It invited reflection on the functions of law in amplifying levels of social injustice, and it explored the intended and unintended consequences of legal interventions that seek resolutions to social injustice.These are challenges that the articles in this special issue meet.

Citation

Burnett, J., & Nafstad, I. (2025). The Violence of Law. Justice, power and resistance, 8(1), 2-4. https://doi.org/10.1332/26352338y2025d000000035

• Journal Article Type: Editorial
• Acceptance Date: Jan 21, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Feb 28, 2025
• Publication Date: 2025-03
• Deposit Date: Mar 9, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 1, 2026
• Electronic ISSN: 2635-2338
• Publisher: Bristol University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 2-4
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1332/26352338y2025d000000035
• Keywords: Violence, Law, Injustice
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/5077100
• Publisher URL: https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/jpr/8/1/article-p2.xml?tab_body=pdf