ejs
© 2005 The Edwardsville Journal of
Sociology
EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION
It is my pleasure to present the fifth volume of the Edwardsville Journal of Sociology (ejs). This special edition on Crime and Deviance highlights some of the outstanding social science research being done in the Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies Department at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville. Specific topics include self-mutilation, environmental crime, the death penalty, and antitrust violations. Also included in this volume is the winning graduate paper for the 2005 Feagin Award, which is given in recognition of an outstanding paper in race and ethnic relations.
The lead article in this volume is by Kelly Faust, a graduate student in the Department of Sociology here at SIUE. Kelly examines social factors related to self-mutilation and draws comparisons between Durkheim’s work on suicide and the limited, largely psychological, research on self-mutilation. She concludes by suggesting a model for understanding self-mutilation from a sociological perspective.
The second piece is a question and answer session with Professor and Chair of Sociology at SIUE, Dr. John Farley. John reflects on his years at SIUE as a teacher, researcher, and community activist. He also provides a glimpse into the recent history of the department.
The next article is authored by Lisa Martino-Taylor, a graduate student in the Department of Sociology at SIUE. Lisa considers the inequitable distribution of power between multinational corporate polluters and local communities, and the implications of that arrangement. She focuses specifically on the strategies employed by corporate polluters to justify and escape repercussions for their actions.
The fourth article is by Aimee Nyers, also a graduate student in the SIUE Department of Sociology. Aimee argues that the death penalty is in violation of international law, specifically the Universal Doctrine of Human Rights. She uses the relatively new critical criminology literature on state crime to strengthen her argument.
The last article focusing on crime and deviance is presented by Penny Lackey, another graduate student in the SIUE Department of Sociology. Penny examines antitrust law violations, and assesses the value of Rational Choice and Strain Theory in explaining such violations.
Finishing out this volume is a paper by Kiana Cox, the 2005 graduate student winner of the Feagin Award. Kiana presents a qualitative research project focusing on the portrayal of Black women on Black Entertainment Television. She contends that the most common image depicted is that of the Jezebel, and that the Jezebel image is used to maintain racial inequality.
In closing, I would like to thank Dave Kauzlarich for allowing me the opportunity to work on this special issue of ejs. Dave also provided technical assistance for which I am thankful. I would also like to thank each of the contributors to this volume, and to John Farley for granting me an interview. It has been a real treat to work with you all on this volume.
Connie D. Frey
Guest Editor
June 22, 2005