The Spirit of Ultra-Realism: Meditations on Metaphysics and Criminal Etiology

Ultra-realism is a relatively new theory that attempts to explain crime as a product of neo-liberal capitalism through various complex processes. While the perspective has brought a much-needed energy to critical criminological discourse, it is not without its issues. This analysis presents three interrelated concerns. First, the theory’s causal claims rooted in transcendental materialism are fundamentally unverifiable. Second, the theory’s causal logic threatens to veer into tautology. Finally, once the problematic elements are jettisoned from the theory, it may not offer much beyond what is already provided by other criminological theories.