Moral Rhetoric and the Criminalisation of Squatting ─ Vulnerable Demons?

"This collection of critical essays considers the criminalisation of squatting from a range of different theoretical, policy and practice perspectives. While the practice of squatting has long been criminalised in some jurisdictions, the last few years have witnessed the emergence of a newly constituted political concern with unlawful occupation of land. With initiatives to address the 'threat' of squatting sweeping across Europe, the offence of squatting in a residential building was created in England in 2012. This development, which has attracted a large measure of media attention, has enormous political, social and legal significance. It has been widely regarded as a controversial policy departure, with many commentators, Parliamentarians, and professional organisations arguing that its support is premised on misunderstandings of the current law and a limited and precarious evidence-base concerning the nature and prevalence of 'squatting'. This collection explores the significance of measures to criminalise squatting, both in England and in other jurisdictions, for squatters, owners and communities. It also uses these measures as a point of departure from which to interrogate wider themes relating to political philosophy, social policy, criminal justice and the nature of ownership. Overall, then, this book consider how the assimilation of squatting to a contemporary punitive turn is shaping the political, social, legal and moral landscapes of property, housing and crime"--

Lorna Fox O'Mahony and David O'Mahony are based at the University of Essex. Robin Hickey is based at Queen's Univerity, Belfast.