Race, Ethnicity and Criminalisation
| Module title | Race, Ethnicity and Criminalisation |
|---|---|
| Module code | SOC3126 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Dr Douglas Farrer (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 40 |
|---|
Module description
This module examines racialised processes in the social construction of crime. It will enable students to develop a critical examination of the way in which ‘criminalisation’ affects racialised groups within society and examine evidence of the concrete consequences of racialisation. It is suitable for non-specialist students and those on interdisciplinary pathways.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of the module will be on understanding and applying theories of race and racism to the social construction of crime and the operation of the criminal justice system. The module will allow students to understand how crime is situated within a racialised social-historical process. The module will facilitate critical evaluation of the data available on crime related to race and ethnicity. Your will have the opportunity to evaluate in practice the differentiated application of the law, criminal justice system and actions of law enforcement agencies to racialised groups in society. You will have the opportunity to examine US and UK case studies where they will evaluate racialised processes within the criminal justice system.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. critically engage in sociological and criminological approaches to the study of race, ethnicity and crime;
- 2. understand and apply appropriate theories and concepts to an analysis of racism in a criminological context.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. critically analyse social data regarding race, ethnicity and crime;
- 4. critically evaluate the evidence on race and the criminal justice system;
- 5. demonstrate a critical understanding of explanatory perspectives on race, ethnicity and crime.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. demonstrate collaborative skills, in presentations and group discussions of course materials;
- 7. critically evaluate own work and the work of others;
- 8. present a clear and effective argument, in oral and written forms;
- 9. work independently, within a set time frame, to complete an analytical task.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:
- The social construction of crime and crime statistics;
- Institutional racism, disproportionality and ‘stop and search’;
- Race, riots and policing;
- Race and prisons;
- Counter-terrorism, Prevent and Islamophobia;
- Racially motivated hate crime
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching activity | 22 | 11 x 2 hour weekly lectures/seminars (or 1 hour lecture + 1 hour seminar) |
| Guided independent study | 22 | Preparation and reading for seminars |
| Guided independent study | 42 | Preparation and reading for presentation |
| Guided independent study | 10 | Additional reading/research |
| Guided independent study | 54 | Preparation for essay |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan | 500 words | 1-9 | Oral and written |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 65 | 2,000 words | 1-5, 7-9 | Written |
| Presentation | 35 | 10 minutes + slides | 1-9 | Oral and written |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2,000 words essay | 1-6, 8 | August/September reassessment period |
| Presentation | Presentation (10 minutes + slides) | 1-8 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Bowling, B. and Phillips, C. (2001) Race, Crime and Criminal Justice, Harlow, Longman.
Blagg, H. (2008) Crime, Aboriginality and the Decolonisation of Justice, Cullompton, Willan.
Gilroy, P. (1987) Ain’t No Black in the Union Jack: The Cultural Politics of Race and Nation, London: Routledge.
Holdaway, S. (1997) ‘Some recent approaches to the study of race in criminological research: race as a social process’, British Journal of Criminology, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 383–400.
Hall, S., Critcher, C., Jefferson, T., Clarke, J., & Roberts, B. (2013). Policing the crisis: Mugging, the state and law and order. Macmillan International Higher Education.Hughes, G. (2009) ‘Community safety and the governance of problem populations’ in Mooney, G. and Neal, S. (eds) Community: Welfare, Crime and Society, Maidenhead, MacGraw Hill and Open University Press.
Macpherson, W. Sir (1999) The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: Report of an Inquiry by Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, London, Home Office.
Massoumi, N., Mills, T., Miller, D. (2017) What is Islamophobia? Racism, Social Movements and the State London: Pluto
McLaughlin, E. (2009) ‘Community cohesion and national security: rethinking policing and race’ in Bloch, A. and
Ouseley, H. Sir (2001) Community Pride Not Prejudice: Making Diversity Work in Bradford, Bradford, Bradford Vision.
Solomos, J. (eds) Race and Ethnicity in the 21st Century, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Scarman, Lord (1981) The Scarman Report: The Brixton Disorders 10–12 April 1981, London, HMSO.
Wacquant, L. (2002) ‘From slavery to mass incarceration: rethinking the “race question” in the US’, New Left Review, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 41–60
Webster, C. (2007) Understanding Race and Crime (Crime and Justice), Buckingham, Open University Press.
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
Ministry of Justice (2017) Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2016 [Online], London, Ministry of Justice. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669094/statistics_on_race_and_the_criminal_justice_system_2016_v2.pdf
Ministry of Justice (2017) Trends in associations between ethnic background and being sentenced to custody for young offenders in England and Wales between 2009 and 2016. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669095/Race_and_the_CJS-youth-amended-01122017.pdf
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 15/02/2020 |
| Last revision date | 10/05/2022 |
