The module introduces the student to classicism and positivism and assesses the the contemporary relevance of classical theory. Students will then explore theoretical developments in twentieth century criminology including the work of the Chicago school and social disorganisation theory. The module proceeds to explore and discuss contemporary criminological theory of the late 20th and early 21st century including control theory; subcultural and strain theories; social constructionism; feminist criminology; and radical, realist and critical criminology. The module concludes with an up-to-date appraisal of contemporary thought including postmodernism and post-structuralism, cultural criminology, late modernity and the regulatory state.
The module content will include:
1. Classical and Positivist Criminology:
- Beccaria and Lombroso. Emotions and Passions in early social thought.
- Sociological Positivism and the Legacy of Emile Durkheim.
2. Criminological Theories of the Early and Mid Twentieth Century
- Social Disorganisation Theory: Crime as a social rather than an individual phenomenon. From Shaw and McKay to Wilson and Kelling and “broken windows”. Is there evidence supporting the work of the Chicago school in Ireland? Was Wilson and Kelling’s theory really implemented in Ireland in the period post 1996?
- Anomie Theory/Strain/Sub Cultural Theory: Crime as a response to social inequality and the gap between culture and social structure. Survey of the work of inter alia Durkheim, Merton, Cloward and Ohlin, Cohen and Agnew. Theory applied to discussion of youth marginalisation, social exclusion, race and ethnicity. Control/Learning Theories: The influence of controlling forces, whether social or personal on crime. The studies of Matza, Hirschi and others and major limitations of the theory. Linking crime prevention to theory –prevention initiatives and the role of criminal justice agencies etc.
- Social Constructionism: Labelling Theory and Symbolic Interactionalism: The shift from the action to the reaction; from the aetiology of crime to society’s response and its impact. The work of inter alia Becker, Lemert. Stanley Cohen and the concept of moral panic.
3. Late Twentieth Century and Twenty-First Century Criminological Theory
- Conflict and Radical Criminology and New Left Realism: Linking the causes of crime to social conflict, exploitation and ideology in line with neo-Marxist and non-Marxian radical theory. Left Realism and the “square of crime.” Critical Realism.
- Crime and gender – the gender construction of crime; theories of gender, crime and punishment malestream criminology and its discontents.
- Postmodern theory: Post-structuralism; criminology and the production of knowledge; criminology in an age of consumerism. Theories of ‘Late Modernity’ and the regulatory state.
- Cultural Criminology and Post-Political Bio-Politics – the spectacle of crime; crime, rationality and emotion; post-politics; crime, class and ethnicity; hate crime.
Lectures and theory discussion groups. Student online discussion via webcourses.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Other Assessment(s) | 100 |