Course overview
This course employs current international scholarship in political science, criminology and sociology, as well as contemporary international case studies, to examine the relationships between politics, crime and justice. It introduces students to the scholarly debates on crime (including political crime), justice and punishment. It also investigates the major components of the criminal justice systems (police, courts, and corrections) across various political systems, ranging from liberal democracy to authoritarianism. In doing so, it seeks to explain the politicization of criminal justice systems on issues as diverse as corruption, drugs, gender and sexuality. In suggesting new ways of analysing the politics of crime and justice, this course pays attention to the social consequences of crime's increasing political saliency, including patterns of marginalization and constructions of deviance. The course also examines state crime and crime across borders. It explores transnational terrorism, human and drug trafficking, genocide, war crimes and other crimes against humanity. The course ends with the discussion of how countries emerging from periods of conflict and repression address large scale or systematic human rights violations.
Course learning outcomes
- Define and understand key concepts of crime, justice and punishment from the perspective of political science
- Apply conceptual approaches to identify and solve problems relating to the politics of crime and justice within international social, political, economic and cultural contexts
- Critically analyse successes and failures of justice systems around the world
- Explain the politicization of criminal justice systems on such issues as corruption, drugs, gender and sexuality
- Examine the scope and significance of transnational terrorism, human and drug trafficking, genocide, war crimes and other crimes against humanity, as well as transitional justice
- Participate in group discussions about contested concepts with confidence and with tolerance for other points of view
- Develop communication and teamwork skills
- Demonstrate career readiness and leadership skills appropriate for beginning professional practice, including lifelong learning skills characterised by academic rigor, self-direction and intellectual independence
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