EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL CRIME - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module will introduce students to the study of environmental crime.  It will examine a wide range of issues related to the damaging relationship between humans and the ecological world. It will include a detailed examination of specific topics such as climate change, abuse and harm to animals, threats to biodiversity and waste.  Additionally, key theoretical debates surrounding the legal notions of harms against the environment and the classification of non-humans as victims of crime will be discussed. Students will be introduced to a range of approaches to policing different types of environmental crimes and the legal, financial and practical problems these present for governments and enforcement agencies.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

ROBERTS Tom (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

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

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Studying  environmental crime


• The relationship between environmental change, biodiversity loss animal rights and criminal activity


• Policing the ecological world

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

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





Learning Outcome


Assessed by

• demonstrate an understanding of green criminology and environmental crime(C, K)

 


Formatively through class tutorial exercises and discussions. Summatively by write up of case study and essay

• be able to critically evaluate key debates about the classification of non-human entities as potential victims of crime (C, K)

 


Formatively through class tutorial exercises and discussions. Summatively by write up of case study and essay

• demonstrate a detailed understanding of the impact of criminal activity on the natural environment (C, K, T)

 


Formatively through class tutorial exercises and discussions. Summatively by write up of case study and essay

• produce a variety of documents that illustrate a reflexive understanding of environmental crime (C, K, T, P)

 

 


Formatively through class tutorial exercises and discussions. Summatively by write up of case study and essay





 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Week 5 - 1500 word case study of an environmental crime (25%) (Feedback provided by week 8)


• Week 12 - 2000 word essay chosen from a list prepared by the course leader (75%)

Formative assessment and feedback

 

• Students receive formative verbal feedback each week during tutorials, following up on activities they have undertaken such as answering questions on the set reading and other pedagogic activities related to the topic (for instance, finding and discussing a relavent case of environmental crime or the findings from a relavent study)


• In weeks 3/4 students will have the opportunity to present their chosen case study and receive informal feedback before writing it up for the summantive assighnment.


• In week 9 time is devoted to a essay  clinic for advice and feedback on any questions the students have regarding the topic they have chosen for their essay.

Module aims

• To provide students with an overview of issues related to environmental crime and introduce students to the key concepts in green criminology
• To introduce students to theoretical debates in green criminology, examples of environmental crime and the analysis of strategies for protecting non-humans from criminal activities
• To critically examine how criminologists study the environment.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Convey key information to students through the use of interactive lectures, classroom discussions based on preparatory reading, media reports and film/TV/internet clips which acts as the focus for activities and discussion. Verbal formative feedback is given throughout.

The learning and teaching methods include:

 

• 11 x 2 hour sessions consisting of both lecture and seminar discussion


• Weekly homework, consisting of reading preparation and reserching case studies of environmetal crime


• Assessment advice including feed back on a formative presentation

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: SOC2082

Programmes this module appears in

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 2023/4 academic year.