Higher Seminary: Katja Franko, dhc

Short summary of the book: In the 1980s and 1990s, Medellín, Colombia, was characterized by serious and violent crime. Thousands of people were murdered and many more were psychologically and physically injured, including civilians. Despite the great humanitarian damage, the greatest and most notorious perpetrator, Pablo Escobar, has become a brand name, as major media companies make entertainment out of his and the mythical story of the drug cartels. The stories of the victims, however, are forgotten.

Based on critical criminology and victimology, “Victimhood, Memory, and Consumerism: Profiting from Pablo” examines the status of victims of crime and how victims are affected by the massive commercial exploitation of Medellín’s violent past. Based on unique empirical material, the book documents the history of violence in Medellín through interviews with people affected by drug violence.

Read more on the publisher’s website

Katja Franko, honorary doctor at Stockholm University and professor of criminology at the university. Photo: Maud Hol

Katja Franko is a professor of criminology at the University of Oslo. Her work is both empirically groundbreaking and theoretically important, focusing on issues of migration, border control, surveillance and international policing in a globalized world. In light of political changes in the Nordic region, Professor Franko’s research has become increasingly relevant. Franko works at the University of Oslo and has published several influential books and articles in leading criminological journals.

Read more about Katja Franko.

Katja Franko will also come to us on September 26 for a public lecture.
Read more here.