Crimes and Harms of the Powerful
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| SOCI3033 | Sociology and Social Policy | 3 | 20 | Spring UK |
- Code
- SOCI3033
- School
- Sociology and Social Policy
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Spring UK
Summary
The module will cover the following broad themes:
• State crime, corporate crime, state-corporate crime, harm, green crime.
• State-facilitated and state-initiated corporate crime.
• Capitalism, neoliberalism, austerity and indifference.
• Crimes of commission and omission.
• Command and control regulation vs. business self-regulation.
Target Students
Available to Level 3 and Level 4 UG students and PGT students including subsidiary students from outside the school. Also available to exchange students.
Classes
This module is taught through a combination of lectures and seminars.
Assessment
- 40% Group Presentation: 20 minutes.
- 60% Coursework: 2,500 words.
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
This module critically examines the deviant activities of the powerful. In contrast to much orthodox criminology, which tends to focus its attention ‘downwards’, and onto the actions of the poor, dispossessed and relatively powerless, this module shifts the gaze ‘upwards’, and onto the harmful activities of states, corporations and similarly powerful collectives. Drawing from a myriad of contemporary empirical and theoretical studies, a critical stance is taken towards the concepts of crime, power and control to understand and explain the deviant activities of these ‘elites’, and illuminate potential avenues for prevention, protection and redress.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to:
- Identify the limits of legalistic definitions of ‘crime’ when discussing harmful activities of the powerful and evaluate the utility of other criminological approaches in crafting alternatives.
- Critically examine the harmful behaviour of ‘elites’ and evaluate its occurrence in the context of contemporary criminological theory.
- Identify and evaluate evidence-based solutions appropriate to the harmful behaviours in question.
Intellectual Skills
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to:
- Critically analyse a ‘crime’ and/or ‘harm’ of the powerful and apply relevant theory to explain its occurrence.
- Critically evaluate relevant theory.
- Critically evaluate formal responses to ‘crimes’ and/or ‘harms’ of the powerful, and propose alternative, evidence-based solutions.
Professional/Practical Skills
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to:
- Communicate ideas clearly and effectively in writing.
- Produce argument that is logically structured, concise and decisive.
- Effectively organise their time to meet the module objectives.
- Provide full and effective support for points being made.
- Critically appraise given situations and provide solutions in response.
Transferable/Key Skills
Students who successfully complete the module will be able to demonstrate the following transferable/key skills:
- Verbal and written communication.
- Research and analysis.
- Critical thinking.
- Personal motivation, organisation and time management.