Universalism and Particularism: A Comparative Review of Western Criminological Theories Through Chinese Juvenile Cyber Deviance Research

Abstract

Western criminological theories have shaped the global study of juvenile deviance, but their applicability to non-Western contexts, particularly China's distinctive social and digital environment, remains underexamined. This article systematically compares four major criminological theories (self-control, social learning, differential association, and routine activity theories) with Chinese empirical evidence on juvenile deviance, including both offline delinquency and emerging cyber deviance. Chinese studies have found partial support for Western theoretical predictions, but have also documented findings that diverge from Western patterns in ways that clarify the boundary conditions of each theory. Three dimensions of divergence are identified: family structure and social control, school ecology and peer environments, and the state-level internet governance regime. These divergences, rather than indicating theoretical failure, point toward the need for contextualized theoretical development that embeds Western frameworks within China's specific institutional and cultural mechanisms. The article outlines a research agenda for future comparative criminological work, including methodological priorities and substantive questions organized around Chinese-specific mechanisms such as family spoiling dynamics, school punishment effects, and the mismatch between digital governance design and adolescent usage patterns.