Travis Hirschi
About this ebook
This book expands beyond a rendering of Hirschi’s publication record through the inclusion of biographical content. The book draws from original interviews with several scholars with whom he engaged in debate: Ronald Akers (social learning theory), Alfred Blumstein (career criminals), Delbert Elliott (theory integration), David Greenberg (critical theory and the age-crime curve), and Jackson Toby (social control). The book is framed around the paradox of science needing path breakers but often branding messengers as “controversial.” Hirschi showed resolve by advancing our understanding through “creative destruction” and Popperian falsification. His refrain was that knowledge is built not by accumulation and accommodation but by unapologetically erasing bias and weak logic. Despite his frequent professional disagreements, he maintained friendships because his dissent commanded respect.
This book is essential reading for students and scholars interested in exploring the enduring legacy of this key thinker in criminology.
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About the author
Brendan D. Dooley is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Mount St. Mary’s University. Since 2011 he has served as Project Director of the Oral History of Criminology Project. His research interests are in the sociology of knowledge, as applied to criminology.
Sean E. Goodison has nearly 20 years of experience as a quantitative criminologist working directly with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to advance evidence-based policies and practices. His research interests include criminological theory, translational criminology, quantitative methods, and policing.
