Law and Threat
Contact: Prof. Dr. Talja Blokland, Dr. Nina Margies
The research area “Law and Threat” combines perspectives from sociology, urban studies, and law, particularly with regard to crime and violence in urban areas. It addresses questions of danger and security as subjects of social science theory. In addition, it examines the legal understanding of prevention and control, as well as the legal and political limits of these intervention options in a democratic context.
The area brings together research on the perception of safety in public spaces with analyses of the role of security forces, such as the police and fire department. In this sense, it builds on findings from security studies. It also deals with the construction of crime as both a social and a legal phenomenon. In this area, it ties in with findings from criminology.
The research area aims to connect researchers who work on issues of law and danger from different disciplinary perspectives.
Research Projects:
Evaluation of the use of Bodycams at the Berlin Police and the Berlin Fire Department