No Future? Utopia, Criminology, and the Queer Value of Hope

Abstract

This chapter considers the place of utopian thought and the investments made in the future within queer criminological work. Utopian thought within criminology has not often included queer communities, and there is ongoing debate within queer scholarship about the value of queer utopian thought. Pointing out the spaces where criminological utopias can be queered, the chapter also canvasses queer debates on and critiques of utopia. In doing so, it raises important questions about the future of queer criminology, such as whether queer criminology ought to remain hopeful, and if so, how its hope might be queered.