Editorial Introduction to Homicide Studies Special Issue: Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Approaches to the Study of Homicide

• Published date: 01 November 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10887679231188359
• Author: April M. Zeoli
• Date: 01 November 2023
• Subject Matter: Special Issue Editor’s Introduction

https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679231188359

Homicide Studies

2023, Vol. 27(4) 407 –410

© 2023 SAGE Publications

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DOI: 10.1177/10887679231188359

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Special Issue Editor’s Introduction

Editorial Introduction to

Homicide Studies Special

Issue: Interdisciplinary and

Transdisciplinary Approaches

to the Study of Homicide

April M. Zeoli1

As one of the leading causes of death for Americans aged 1 through 44 (Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, 2023), homicide is a societal problem studied by

numerous academic disciplines. For example, criminological, sociological, and psy-

chological theories posit why individuals commit homicide and what conditions

increase the risk of homicide commission; the public health field is interested in reduc-

ing mortality and morbidity and population-level interventions to do so; social work-

ers work with at-risk individuals in homicide prevention and healing from traumatic

events; nurses and other health care providers may identify those at risk and work to

reduce that risk; and criminal justice practitioners are part of the societal response to

homicide commission. Each discipline has made important contributions to the study

and understanding of homicide, homicide prevention, and the consequences of homi-

cide, but due to the siloed nature of academia, these contributions may not be well-

known to researchers across disciplines. It is likely that at least some of these theories

and research findings may be largely unknown to researchers in other disciplines

whose work may benefit from their incorporation.

Fortunately, researchers have started to recognize that some of the most pressing

social problems of our time are multifaceted and require a holistic understanding to

better inform solutions. As a result, there has been a movement toward interdisciplin-

ary and transdisciplinary work recently. The differences between these types of

research are based on their integration and use of disciplines (Choi & Pak, 2006).

Multidisciplinary research incorporates the learning and perspectives of different dis-

ciplines, but the contribution of each discipline remains within its boundaries.

1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

Corresponding Author:

April M. Zeoli, Department of Health Management & Policy, University of Michigan School of Public

Health, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, University of Michigan, M3164 SPHII, 1415 Washington

Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Email: azeoli@umich.edu

1188359HSXXXX10.1177/10887679231188359Homicide StudiesZeoli

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