
Crime, Harm and the State
Bristol University Press
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 28. November 2025
Book
Hardback
324 pages
978-1-5292-3982-9 (ISBN)
Description
Why are some harms defined as crimes while others are not? This pioneering collection disrupts the boundaries of criminology, offering a bold, innovative exploration of crime, state power and social harm across historical and global contexts.
Bridging zemiology, governmentality studies, and decolonial theory, this book offers a fresh perspective on how the colonial roots and ongoing dynamics of global capitalism perpetuate harm, particularly in the Global South. Through compelling case studies on topics such as tourism, drugs, non-human animals, food, ecology, minoritized groups and migration, it reveals how colonial legacies and structural injustices shape who experiences harm, whose experiences are acknowledged - and how harm may be resisted.
Bridging zemiology, governmentality studies, and decolonial theory, this book offers a fresh perspective on how the colonial roots and ongoing dynamics of global capitalism perpetuate harm, particularly in the Global South. Through compelling case studies on topics such as tourism, drugs, non-human animals, food, ecology, minoritized groups and migration, it reveals how colonial legacies and structural injustices shape who experiences harm, whose experiences are acknowledged - and how harm may be resisted.
Reviews / Votes
'A critical account of the possibilities of criminology for addressing the injustices of historical and social harm, as well as the discipline's inherent limitations. It speaks to the authors' research trajectories.' Gustavo Rojas-Paez, University of SussexMore details
Series
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Bristol
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
2 s/w Abbildungen
2 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
592 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5292-3982-9 (9781529239829)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Lynne Copson | Eleni Dimou | Steve Tombs
Crime, Harm and the State
E-Book
11/2025
1st Edition
Bristol University Press
€44.49
Available for download
Persons
Steve Tombs is Professor of Criminology at the Open University. He has a long-standing interest in the incidence, nature and regulation of corporate and state crime, and has published widely on these matters. He works closely with the Hazards movement in the UK, was a founding member and Chair of the Centre for Corporate Accountability, and is on the Board of Inquest.
Editor
The Open University
The Open University
The Open University
Content
1. Introducing Crime, Harm and the State - Lynne Copson, Eleni Dimou and Steve Tombs
Part I: Drugs: A Case Study of Crime and Harm
2. The War on Drugs: From Crime To Harm? - Giulia Federica Zampini and Camille May Stengel
3. Consuming Drugs: Soft Drugs, Colonialism and Slavery - Eleni Dimou
4. Dealing in Drugs - Steve Tombs
Part II: Questions of Harm
5. Criminology, Harm and Nonhuman Animals - Matthew Melsa
6. Crime, Harm and Sexuality - Teresa Willis
7. Where's the Harm in Tourism? - Eleni Dimou
8. Crime and Harm in the Food Industry - Steve Tombs
Part III: Exploring Borders
9. Understanding States: Making Law, Making Order? - Gerry Mooney and Steve Tombs
10. Crossing Borders - Evgenia Iliadou
11. Policing Borders: States of Surveillance - Teresa Willis
12. State Crime, Social Harm and Genocide - Penny Green
13. Power, Environmental Harm and the Threat of Global Ecocide - Nigel South and Reece Walters
14. Redrawing Borders: Crime Harm and the State - Lynne Copson
Part I: Drugs: A Case Study of Crime and Harm
2. The War on Drugs: From Crime To Harm? - Giulia Federica Zampini and Camille May Stengel
3. Consuming Drugs: Soft Drugs, Colonialism and Slavery - Eleni Dimou
4. Dealing in Drugs - Steve Tombs
Part II: Questions of Harm
5. Criminology, Harm and Nonhuman Animals - Matthew Melsa
6. Crime, Harm and Sexuality - Teresa Willis
7. Where's the Harm in Tourism? - Eleni Dimou
8. Crime and Harm in the Food Industry - Steve Tombs
Part III: Exploring Borders
9. Understanding States: Making Law, Making Order? - Gerry Mooney and Steve Tombs
10. Crossing Borders - Evgenia Iliadou
11. Policing Borders: States of Surveillance - Teresa Willis
12. State Crime, Social Harm and Genocide - Penny Green
13. Power, Environmental Harm and the Threat of Global Ecocide - Nigel South and Reece Walters
14. Redrawing Borders: Crime Harm and the State - Lynne Copson