Anna Dvorishchina (LSE) - 2024-25 Students
a.dvorishchina@lse.ac.uk

How ought compassion bear on blaming and punitive practices in criminal law?

Compassion is an important part of interpersonal interactions, but it is often neglected in public life. This deficit is particularly significant in the criminal law. This is indeed regrettable. In my project, I will show how compassion enriches our understanding of this area by focusing on blaming, excuses, and punishment—all practical issues of immediate relevance. Specifically, I will argue that compassion provides us with valuable normative guidance for our blaming and punitive practices. Whilst my project is in criminal law, I foresee it having implications for other legal domains. I firmly believe that the integration of compassion into thinking about our legal system is an important step towards a society that is not only just, but humane. My research will contribute to taking that step.

Primary supervisor: Dr Jonathan Parry