Narrative Criminology Working Group

The European Society of Criminology working group was established in 2016 with the aim of stimulating research and sharing knowledge in the field of Narrative Criminology. Broadly conceived, narrative criminology theorises the relationship between narrative, harm, crime, and victimisation, emphasising how stories shape individuals’ actions, identities, and moral justifications. It examines how people construct, maintain, and transform their sense of self through storytelling, exploring the ways in which narratives contribute to harmful behaviour, desistance, and experiences of victimisation. In addition, narrative criminology has also expanded its scope to examine how harms can be resisted in and through narrative. This includes analysing how individuals and communities use storytelling to challenge dominant discourses, reclaim agency, and construct counter-narratives that foster resilience, justice, and social change. By focusing on narrative resistance, scholars seek to understand how storytelling can disrupt cycles of victimisation and criminalisation, offering new insights into agency, transformation, and collective action.

The aims of the network include fostering and building international research networks to support scholarship and collaboration. Since the network was established, we have organised thematic panels annually at the European Society of Criminology, bringing together colleagues from across Europe (and from further afield!) as well as organising panels and events at international conferences, including the British Society of Criminology and the American Society of Criminology.

At this year’s annual conference in Athens, we will host a pre-conference workshop on narrative research methods. This session will provide a forum for scholars to exchange ideas and discuss diverse approaches to narrative analysis, fostering dialogue on methodological innovations and challenges in the field. It will also be useful for junior scholars who want a quick introduction to varieties of narrative methods. As narrative criminology continues to expand, contributions from researchers with different perspectives and expertise will be invaluable in shaping the discussion. We invite scholars to join us as we engage in critical reflections, share methodological insights, and explore the potential of narrative analysis in social research. Everyone is welcome, so please look out for us in the conference schedule when it’s published.

The narrative criminology network has also been involved in hosting regular conferences, including in Genoa (2022) and Antwerp (2023), in collaboration with the COST ACTION network on ‘Cultures of Victimology: Understanding processes of victimisation across Europe’.

As network chairs, we are pleased to share that an array of publications connected to the network, including the edited volume Narrating Justice and Hope: How good stories counter crime and harm (2025, NYU Press). We are also currently working on a special issue “Truth, Lies and Jokes: The Futures of Narrative Criminology” in the journal International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology that will be published next year

This year, the University of Swansea will host the 5th Narrative Criminology Symposium on the theme of Narrating Harm, Narrating Hope in June. Information can be found here. ESC members can read about narrative criminology and sign up to our mailing list here on the Narrative Criminology Research Network website.