Mike Presdee was a British criminologist and senior lecturer at the University of Kent, widely recognized for his pioneering contributions to Cultural Criminology. He developed the concept of carnival of crime, which explores how deviant acts can take on festive, transgressive, and symbolic meanings. Presdee’s work was notable for bridging criminology, cultural studies, and sociology, with a particular focus on the ways in which everyday life, popular culture, and consumerism intersect with criminal behavior.
Presdee played a key role in advancing Cultural Criminology by highlighting the emotional, celebratory, and performative aspects of crime. His carnival of crime framework examines how marginalized groups use deviance as a form of resistance and identity expression, often through ritualized or spectacular acts. He also explored the media’s role in framing and amplifying deviance, and he encouraged criminology to engage with cultural theory and ethnographic methods.
