The car and crime: critical perspectives.

This thesis critically examines the literature on joyriding, car crime, motor projects and masculinities. Fieldwork in motor projects combined with the methods of cultural studies locates car crime within a gendered car culture. Thus motor projects are seen to 'work' within that gendered car culture but a longer term solution to car crime is to be found in 'green' transport policies and changes in gender relations. Theoretically it recognises the reality of car crime and also the reality of the environmental consequences of car use but also the ideological context which places the car at the centre of transport Policy and many men's dreams of transcendant personal freedom. It draws as many conclusions about criminology as about car crime.

A Thesis submitted for examination for a PhD at Middlesex University.