CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES - 2020/1

Module Overview

Criminology is a historically specific discipline which relies upon a range of theoretical resources to conceptualize ‘crime’, ‘criminals’ and ‘criminality’. This course aims to explore the theoretical resources of criminology in order to think about the discipline not simply a practical activity (as something concerned with the process or administration of criminal justice) but as an activity comprising a distinct epistemology. The module covers the major theoretical developments within criminology and, at the end of the course, asks how they help us elucidate criminal justice problems such as punishment, incarceration and social control.

 

 

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

ELSENBROICH Corinna (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

N/A

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Week 1 – Crime as Rationality, Crime as Disease


• Week 2 – Anomie and Crime


• Week 3 – Social Disorganization and Crime


• Week 4 – Labelling and Symbolic Interactionism


• Week 5 – Control and Rational Choice Theory


• Week 6 – Culture and Crime


• Week 7 – Reading Week (MSc Conference)


• Week 8 - Radical Criminology


• Week 9 – Feminist Criminology


• Week 10 - Post-Structuralism and the Legacy of Foucault


• Week 11 - Punishment and Late Modernity

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

NA

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate

• A systematic understanding of the ways in which different theories have sought to understand different types of crime, deviance and control.

• An advanced ability to make connections and distinctions between these different theories and apply original arguments to assess these.

• A critical understanding of the ways theories intersect with the politics of crime and the operations of the criminal justice system.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

An essay plan which will be marked and given comments on content and academic rigour (ungraded), and an essay of 3,000 words (graded). Comments will be given in writing to students.

Module aims

• Have a systematic understanding of the ways in which different theories have sought to understand different types of crime, deviance and control.
• Have an advanced ability to make connections and distinctions between these different theories and apply original arguments to assess these.
• Have a critical understanding of the ways theories intersect with the politics of crime and the operations of the criminal justice system.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

2 hour lecture/seminar per week x 11 weeks

My main philosophy which I hope to continue is that with small classes the sessions work best when everyone participates. With this, what I embrace and actively support is for interruptions when I present ideas through the lecture slides. Thoughts and perceptions are fluid and best exchanged in the flow of the class, not strictly confined to the end of me speaking. I do not like delivering a lecture for one hour then having a discussion after – it is a style which I personally find boring for me as I detest the sound of my own voice! So please, read and come to classes prepared, interrupt me, and discuss. Plato would have approved as this was his style of knowledge exchange, so I claim no originality in my approach!

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOCM032

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2020/1 academic year.