Existentialism and Criminology: An Analytical Study

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of existentialist philosophy and criminological theory, offering a critical analysis of how concepts such as freedom, authenticity, anxiety, and subjectivity can inform our understanding of crime and criminal behavior. Drawing upon the works of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, and Heidegger, the study critiques traditional criminological frameworks that prioritize objectivity, determinism, and empirical generalization. Instead, it advances an existential criminological perspective that views crime as a personal, meaningful act, an assertion of identity within a world devoid of absolute moral or scientific foundations. Through case examples such as Sartre’s Saint Genet and Nietzsche’s pale criminal, the paper argues that crime should be interpreted not merely as deviance but as an existential response to societal alienation and a search for self-definition. The study highlights the limitations of positivist criminology in accounting for the interior lives of offenders and calls for a more nuanced, humancentered approach to justice.