Special Issue: New Empirical and Theoretical Directions in Rural Criminology
GUEST EDITORS:
Walter S. DeKeseredy, Prof., West Virginia University, USA/Canada
Joseph F. Donnermeyer, Prof., The Ohio State University, USA
Gorazd Meško, Prof., University of Maribor, Slovenia
Emilia Jurgielewicz-Delegacz, Ph.D., University of Bialystok, Poland
The rationale of the issue:
Rural criminology has emerged as a vital and rapidly developing subfield within the broader discipline of criminology, addressing crime, victimisation and justice issues specific to rural and peripheral areas worldwide. Historically overshadowed by urban-focused research, rural criminology is now attracting increasing international and interdisciplinary attention. It integrates perspectives from sociology, geography, environmental studies, critical criminology and other related fields, thereby reflecting the complex social, economic and ecological realities of rural life.
The objective of this special issue is to showcase pioneering empirical research and innovative theoretical contributions that further our understanding of rural crime and justice. Submissions that critically engage with the evolving challenges of rural safety are welcomed, including but not limited to the following: agricultural crime, environmental harms, rural violence, policing, community resilience, and the impacts of globalisation and social change on rural spaces.
We invite abstracts in (but not limited to) the following areas:
- Empirical research (quantitative, qualitative, mixed): crime trends; policing and judicial access; rural victimization; exclusion among minorities, women, Indigenous communities
- Theoretical contributions: development or critique of criminological theories in rural contexts; integration with critical, feminist, green, or decolonial frameworks
- Comparative and international studies: empirical or conceptual analyses from the Global North and South, including environmental crime, migration
- Critical and alternative perspectives: focus on structural violence, surveillance, restorative justice, rural spatial politics.
The editors cordially invite researchers, scholars, and practitioners from around the world
to contribute to this special issue, with the aim of fostering a vibrant, international dialogue on the development of rural criminology. We look forward to collaborative efforts that showcase diverse empirical findings and theoretical innovations, highlighting the global scope and evolving nature
of rural crime and justice. Together, through this special issue, we hope to advance the field
by bridging geographic and disciplinary boundaries and inspiring new directions in rural criminological research.
BASIC INFORMATION
- Archives of Criminology is the leading Polish criminological journal. Published by the Department of Criminology at the Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Science, it dates back to the 1930s. It is published twice a year with a substantial proportion
of English-language papers. It is indexed in a variety of databases, most recently included in Scopus.
- The publication will be available with open access.
- Timeline:
26 September 2025 – deadline for abstracts’ submission (150 – 300 words).
by 8 October 2025 – notification of acceptance of abstracts.
15 February 2026 – deadline for full papers’ submission.
30 November 2026 – publication of the issue.
- The full length of a paper should be between 7,000 and 9,000 words (including footnotes and references).
- Abstracts should be submitted through the online form only: https://ankiety.inp.pan.pl/index.php/641391?lang=en
- More information about the Journal and guidance for authors available on the website: http://czasopisma.inp.pan.pl/index.php/ak
CONTACT
Guest Editors
Walter S. DeKeseredy,
e-mail: wsdekeseredy@mail.wvu.edu
Joseph F. Donnermeyer,
e-mail: donnermeyer.1@gmail.com
Gorazd Meško,
e-mail: gorazd.mesko@um.si
Emilia Jurgielewicz-Delegacz,
e-mail: e.jurgielewicz-delegacz@uwb.edu.pl
Journal’s Editors
Witold Klaus (editor-in-chief),
e-mail: witold.klaus@gmail.com
Justyna Włodarczyk-Madejska (executive editor),
e-mail: wlodarczyk.madejska@gmail.com
Monika Szulecka (executive editor),
e-mail: m.szulecka@inp.pan.pl
