Introduction:Beyond penal populism: complexifying justice systems and security through qualitative lenses

In the global political landscape, as far-right parties gain prominence, populist rhetoric advocating for harsher justice and security policies is becoming increasingly prevalent. Proponents of this rhetoric base their discourse on “alarming” violence and crime rates and discredit more liberal approaches, as well as research that deconstruct those Manichean visions. In this introduction, we ask what tangible contributions qualitative and ethnographic methods can offer to the field of justice and security studies. We explain why and to what extent qualitative methods are essential to accurately represent the reality of justice and security and to help deconstruct overly simplistic interpretations of justice and security. Ultimately, this article contends that these methodologies are crucial, now more than ever, for dismantling narratives driven by penal populism.