The Policing Animal
Towards a Critique of Punitive Humanism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15030066 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Paul Gorby (0000-0001-9898-2097, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 328-357 |
| Publication date | 2024-07-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Theory & Event (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1092-311X • E-ISSN: 2572-6633 |
| Publisher | Project MUSE (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1353/tae.2024.a932013 |
| OpenAlex | W4400690090 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
This article uncovers, analyzes, and critiques a common yet under-examined trend in the history of Western political thought: punitive humanism, the belief that human beings are "naturally" punitive. Engaging with different iterations of punitive humanist thought in the writings of John Locke, Immanuel Kant, and Jeremy Bentham, I argue that this belief has wide-ranging implications, and constitutes a particular challenge to abolitionist theory and practice. I use the work of Friedrich Nietzsche, particularly his conceptualization of ressentiment , to elaborate a critique of punitive humanism, one which resonates with and provides valuable theoretical material for contemporary abolitionist thought
Criminology · Environmental ethics · Humanism · Political science · Punitive damages · Sociology · Law · Law in Society and Culture · Philosophy
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |