Defining Remixes and Assemblages in The Field of Criminology

In the field of Criminology, it is not uncommon for the works of another to be remixed when applied to a research setting. In almost all cases, researchers rely heavily on the findings of their peers in order to assist them in their own analysis. In doing so, assemblages- which can be defined as an accumulation or gathering of things or people- are created to garner both validity and recognition to the research being presented. These sources that help create these assemblages are required in almost every research proposal as they not only support the question being posed but provide a basis for inquiry as well.

This idea of assemblages being formed in Criminological research can be extended from the research process to the researchers themselves. In an article titled Using Student Samples in Criminological Research, it is said that “students often contribute in their role as research assistants and as co‐authors on scholarly papers and presentations.” Because of their direct participation in the crafting of these documents, the collective work becomes an assemblage. It should be noted that, if after this paper was published, an independent researcher used it as a basis for his or her own analysis, that work would then become a remix of an assemblage. Though the two terms seem to be identical, they are everything but- a remix is the incorporation of one work into another to create something new while an assemblage is the accumulation of several works to form a whole.

Those directly involved in the field of Criminology have clearly defined what laws like Copyright defenses and Fair Use mean in terms of research. Within this community, it is understood that as long as the author(s) are receiving the proper recognition for his or her work, it can be used by their peers as well. The University of California Irvine does an incredible job of detailing resources that both authors and potential researchers could use in order to better understand the guidelines set forth by the criminological community. Though remixing can be seen as a violation of intellectual property in other areas of study, it is not only accepted- but encouraged- in the field of Criminology.