Moderation, Minimalism, and Abolition: A Critical Examination of Reductionist Philosophies of Punishment Drawing on Philosophical-Theological Ethics

Of the various sub-disciplines within the humanities and social sciences, theological ethics—with its foundational narrative of wrongdoing, punishment, and forgiveness—is maybe best placed to augment contemporary theorising about punishment and prison; yet it is maybe the most marginal within existing penological debates. This doctorate seeks to contribute in a meaningful way to current debates on how punishment is conceptualised and then utilised in society. To critically examine penal moderation, minimalism, and abolition, this thesis will draw on philosophical-theological ethics as a primary resource, alongside penological and critical social theory. This research will be non-empirical in nature. Bridging the disciplines, Dutch criminologists Louk Hulsman and Herman Bianchi, have been identified as key conversation partners as their work on criminal and restorative justice was grounded in religious-spiritual roots. Despite oversights and slight misreadings, Vincenzo Ruggiero’s monograph Penal Abolitionism, has opened the door for further considering the intersection between criminologists and philosophical-theological ethics.  Other interlocutors will include Nils Christie, Thomas Mathiesen, Andrew von Hirsch and, Ian Loader in order to develop a fuller reading of this overlap. This doctorate proposes to develop a fuller and more comprehensive reading of how philosophical-theological ethics has shaped the development of multiple reductionist philosophies, with points of analysis focused on human dignity, language and agency. By seeking to utilise a relatively neglected alternative moral discourse within penology, new understandings may also be found to, not only, better understand the development of current penological positions but to shape and refine their future directions.