Criminology and Sociology BA

This module lays the foundations for further study in criminology by looking at its development as a discipline. You will consider how crime is defined and counted, and investigate the sources of criminological knowledge.

The main focus is on key theoretical perspectives in criminology, and how they help us to understand and explain crime and victimisation and social reactions to it.

Globalisation means that societies are more interlinked than ever before. A range of different problems and issues now unfolds globally, but their effects are felt socially. This module seeks to understand the how the global and the local intersect, with a particular focus on human rights. For example, many communities are struggling with violent conflict, economic inequality, or environmental destruction. Other groups are searching for identity, justice, or a better life. Conversely, social issues or political debates affecting local communities often have global causes and consequences.

Over the course of the semester, we will consider how global and local experiences interact, and build up a theoretical understanding of their social political and economic causes. In doing so, you will learn how sociology can help us make sense of an increasingly complex world, and how to locate human rights issues within changing global circumstances.

The study of culture illuminates how we understand ourselves and others and the meanings we attribute to the world around us. By examining culture we see that many of the 'common sense', 'normal' or 'natural' understandings we have of what it means to be male or female, gay or straight, white or black, middle class or working class, are specific to our particular society, and are also laden with implicit judgements about the relative worth of these identities.

This module considers a range of cultural forms, from the everyday popular culture that surrounds us in our daily lives, such as Hollywood films, reality TV and 'ethnic' cuisine, and explores the ways in which social identities and social relations such as class, gender or racial difference are represented and played out in popular culture.

This module seeks to introduce and contextualise the function and processes of the agencies and institutions that operate within the criminal justice system.

The module will encourage you to identify the tensions and inequalities that lead criminologists and criminal justice practitioners to promote reform of the criminal justice system. Summary of the topics to be covered include:

• Theorising criminal justice and punishment: Exploring models of criminal justice and penology.
• Overview of the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales
• Key agencies, processes and institutions within the Criminal Justice System including: police, prosecution, judiciary, sentencing, management of offenders, youth justice and alternatives to custody
• Criminal Justice policy-making process, the role of victims and the politicisation of criminal justice
• Inequalities and bias within the Criminal Justice System: race, gender and class
• International influences of criminal justice-policy making: organised crime and terrorism; European Union; International cases studies influencing reform agenda

This module introduces you to the nature of social research through exploration of the fundamental philosophical, methodological and ethical debates on 'how to think of social research' and 'how to do social research'.

The module begins with discussions of the primary features, functions and characteristics of social research, the distinctions between social research and other modes of investigating and producing knowledge about the social world and the steps typically involved in conducting social research.

Next, attention is focused on social research paradigms and how the different ontological, epistemological and methodological specificities map onto research questions, methods and designs. Attention will then be placed on some of the principal methods of data collection in the social sciences such as surveys, social experiments, interviews, visual methods, group discussions and observation.

The module concludes by examining issues of ethics, status, power and reflexivity in social research. 

The first part of the module introduces you to some of the contemporary and historical debates in social sciences in the 21st century.

The social sciences are centrally concerned with the investigation of a changing world and the recent arrival of the internet, globalisation, migration and other features will be investigated. However social science is a discipline with a long historical tradition. Here it is key that you have a working knowledge of Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Du Bois to understand the world of the 19th and early 20th century. The module explores the historical and contemporary relevance of these ideas.

The second part of the course mostly relies upon the social science thinking of the 20th and 21st century. Questions such as the impact of the arrival of the consumer society, the importance of difference and diversity, the role of utopia, the importance of art and social movements, the development of the network and mediated society, issues related to gender identity and sexuality, and our shared ideas about the urban setting and the future are all covered in this part of the course.

Overall, you will be introduced to a range of different perspectives in helping you understand a changing world.

This module examines selected work by major 19th and 20th century social theorists in relation to three main themes:

• What were the major arguments and conceptual innovations introduced by classical sociologists? 
• How can classical sociological theory illuminate contemporary social debates? 
• On what grounds should certain thinkers be described as 'classical'? What determines whether or not a theorist belongs to the canon of sociological thought? How does social and political context shape the development of sociological theory?

This module approaches contemporary sociological theory through close reading and analyses of selected work by 20th and 21st century social theorists in relation to three main themes:

• What are the major arguments and conceptual innovations made by contemporary social theorists?
• How have contemporary social theorists understood, modified, and adopted classical theoretical and methodological perspectives to illuminate contemporary social debates and conduct sociological analysis of contemporary phenomena?
• How can contemporary sociological theory help us understand various social and political phenomena and transformations characteristic of contemporary society in a globalised world?

This module is concerned with how we can make sense of crime, and responses to it, in today’s society. It sets out to look at contemporary theories about crime, justice and society in their historical context. It looks at how ideas have been revised to take account of 21st century realities including globalisation, mass migration, changing gender relations, terrorism, economic and environmental crisis and the rise of risk society.

This module will introduce you to the principles of research design, practice and ethics in relation to qualitative research, and provides experience in designing a qualitative research project.

This module will introduce you to the principles of research design and ethics in relation to quantitative research, and provides you with experience in designing and conducting your own small-scale research project.

This module emphasises sociological theories with reference to current events and social policy making in China. Topics change every year according to what is in the news, but may include:

• nationhood, identity and ethnicity
• gender, family and sexualities
• inequalities, social capital and welfare
• health, education and popular culture
• crime, deviance and justice

This module will examine the role of experts and expertise in modern society. In many cases conflicting information circulates in the media and people do not know who to trust and what to believe. Should we listen to ‘the science’? We are allegedly living in a post-truth society where participants in polarized debates go as far as accusing each other of presenting fake news. Experts are supposed to provide neutral advice but often get drawn into the fray, too.

We will examine selected case studies that allow us to better understand the role of experts in society. Case studies may include climate change; Brexit; legal and illegal drugs; and vacation.

What is the relationship between crime, justice and the media? Does media depiction simply reflect public interests and attitudes, or help to shape them? Does media representation of 'crime', 'criminals' and criminal justice impact penal and social policies?

These are some of the questions we will debate through drawing on theory, research and illustrative media examples.

This module examines the intersection of three key concepts in contemporary sociology - ethnicity, 'race', and colonial modernity. It particularly considers:

• existing sociological theories of everyday life concerning its political relevance and historical specificity, as well as methodological issues as to how 'the everyday' has been researched
• sociological models of ethnicity and 'race', the construction of ethnic boundaries and identities, the relationship between 'culture' and 'ethnicity', and its relevance in the contemporary world
• a series of empirical case studies illustrating the experience and complexities of ethnic and racial identities in the realm of everyday life

This module is concerned with the sociology and politics of policing. The main focus will be on England and Wales but the module will draw on literature and experiences from other jurisdictions around the world and from the United States of America in particular. It will cover a range of topics such as:

• the meaning of, and differences between, police, policing and the police
• the history and development of policing and the police since the 18th century
• the occupational and organisational cultures of the police
• the governance and accountability of the police
• police powers
• specialisation in policing e.g. crime detection, traffic policing, public order policing, terrorism and political policing
• policing strategies and tactics
• policing and the media
• police ethics
• policing social diversity
• the pluralisation of policing

This module focuses on the relationship between imprisonment and society, paying specific attention to the England and Wales prison estate and UK society. The module requires reading, questioning, and evaluating of the following topics:

• Notion of a criminally deviant act and consequent ramifications (for example, imprisonment)
• Relationship between welfare provision and imprisonment rates (for example, social exclusion issues)
• The political and historical natures of punishment (for example, overt versus covert practices)
• Prisoner population demographics in England and Wales
• Roles, responsibilities, and issues for Her Majesty’s Prison Service
• Prison culture (both staff and inmate)
• Institutionalisation theory and the nature of imprisonment
• Provision and receipt experiences of prison mental healthcare
• Sociological research in prisons (for example, (in)famous ethnographies/contemporary analysis)
• Future directions for imprisonment (for example, reducing reoffending strategies)

This module provides an overview of socio-economic inequalities within and between societies, exploring major theoretical and practical issues regarding data analysis and policy evaluation. Key topics to be covered include:

• theoretical overview of social divisions and inequalities
• exploring patterns and measuring inequalities
• the impact of social inequalities on individuals and society as a whole
• major social divisions: class, gender and race
• other social divisions and intersectionalities
• space and inequalities: local, national and global perspectives
• the social construction and reproduction of inequalities: social control and the role of institutions
• how policy makes and unmakes inequalities
• resistance, alternatives and social change

All these aspects are discussed on the basis of a range of case studies, both national and international, historical and based on current affairs. These are also used to examine different approaches to evidence analysis and data presentation, thus supporting the development of the specific skills necessary to undertake the course assessment. 

This module provides you with an opportunity to apply the insights and skills of social science to enhance your understanding of the role of the voluntary sector in contemporary society with special reference to the city of Nottingham. At the heart of the module is a one-semester community engagement opportunity where you will spend on average eight hours a week, but varying from week to week, with a local community organisation.

The placement enables you to experience at first-hand the challenges, dilemmas and opportunities to make a difference that local organisations face every day. You will have the opportunity to deploy social research skills and academic knowledge to assist the organisations in question.

The teaching element of the module will provide the following:

• At the very start, an overview of the role of the voluntary sector in contemporary society
• Theories of civil society
• An introduction to some of the models of community organising and public sociology
• A two-day training package in the autumn semester on models of community organising delivered by Nottingham Citizens
• An opportunity to reflect on progress with the community engagement
• Advice on how to construct the assessment

The module will also draw on two outside speakers from local community organisations to provide rich, first-hand accounts from within the voluntary sector.

We now live in a digital age where new technology, online platforms, applications and wearable devices are an indispensable and, in some ways, an inescapable part of our lives. New digital technologies enable us to track our daily lives and routines, to filter our realities, to present different versions of ourselves, to form attachments and intimacies, engage in politics and protest. From selfie culture, through Tinder love and Twitter revolutions, new digital technologies and social media shape not only our perceptions of Self but also our relations with others.

This module introduces you to the key debates in digital sociology, paying particular attention to the rise of new social media and how this affects identity, belonging, intimacy and civic participation. The main focus of this module is a critical engagement with how Web 2.0 has affected perceptions of self and social relations, exploring why some people engage with new technology whilst others actively resist it.

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This module explores the phenomena of youth, crime and justice. Analysis of official statistics and self-report survey data will be placed within a broader understanding of the social construction of youth, drawing on political, media and other sources. The module will critically assess explanations of youth crime and desistance, including major theoretical explanations and developmental/life course perspectives.

The second half of the module considers social responses to youth crime and the role of the youth justice system in particular. The various discourses which inform youth justice will be compared and the ways in which they have been applied in different jurisdictions will be assessed. Finally, the module will consider the recent focus on early intervention, emerging arguments for minimum intervention and the potential for youth justice reform.

For the dissertation, you will explore a topic of your choice under the supervision of a designated dissertation group tutor. Work on the dissertation extends over both semesters in the third year. The subject matter must be relevant to your honours subject and approved by the tutor.

The study may be entirely based on the analysis of secondary literature; alternatively it may involve the collection and analysis of primary data, including documentary or textual data, on a scale appropriate to the work-load involved.

During the autumn semester, you should identify a topic and decide on an appropriate strategy of enquiry and analysis. Initial reading and planning for the dissertation should be undertaken mostly in the autumn semester, including literature reviews. A dissertation plan is submitted by the end of November. Any empirical investigation should be substantially underway by the end of the autumn semester.

In the spring semester analysis of the literature and any primary material should be completed and the dissertation written up by early in the summer term.

This module examines how public policy is made within government. It provides a critical understanding of how policy is formulated, implemented and evaluated.

The module focuses on key phases of the policy process, from agenda-setting to policy impact. The module provides an applied understanding of policy analysis by examining relevant case studies (for example, child abuse, ageing population).

This module will explore the contemporary developments and debates in the provision and delivery of welfare services. It will examine theories of welfare, the funding of the welfare state and key changes in welfare policies, such as the increasing focus on markets and consumer choice, partnerships, the personalisation of service delivery, and the increasing role of the not-for-profit sector in service delivery.

This 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

This module serves as an introduction to the study of new religious movements, including groups sometimes referred to as 'cults', and the theoretical concepts used to understand them. A particular focus will be on the degree of tension such groups exhibit with their broader social and religious environments, as well as how they are conceived, both in academia and the media.

It will also consider how issues discussed more broadly in sociology, such as deviance, authority, violence, modernity, globalisation, sex and gender, and group dynamics, bear on our understanding of new religious movements.

This module introduces you to the criminological study of cyber crime. It draws on key literature and current research to consider the ways in which new and emerging forms of digital media and information and communication technologies provide opportunities for a variety of deviant and criminal behaviours. The module will typically cover the following broad themes:

• Criminological definitions and theories of cyber crime
• Case studies of types of cyber crime, including, for example: fraud, identify theft, hacking, revenge porn, sexting, online harassment, trolling and cyberstalking
• Victims’ experiences of cyber crime
• Why individuals commit certain types of cyber crime
• Cyber crime in a global world
• The policing, surveillance and regulation of cyber crime
• The implication of the ‘internet of things’ for privacy and security

Using different genres of film, this module examines contemporary theoretical and empirical debates in relation to a host of issues closely associated with the production and contestation of identity, culture, and everyday life, by underpinning the central theoretical theme of cultural production, consumption, and practices.

The module will illustrate the problematics of culture through the sociological exploration of social condition; identity; consumerism; consumption; consumer culture; slavery; choice; voluntary simplicity; intimacy; body; embodiment; sexual culture; desire; sexuality; bisexuality; transgenderism; dress; fashion; multiculturalism; human rights; and social inclusion/exclusion.

Introducing feminist approaches to social policy, this module considers how social policy and the development of the welfare state have been underpinned by ideas around gender difference and the structure and responsibilities of the family.

We will examine feminist perspectives on welfare, considering how policy might reflect and perpetuate the gendered division of labour in the family and society more broadly. For example, we will examine whether the 'male breadwinner' model has been replaced by a policy commitment to gender equality.

The module will thus examine how social policy excludes or incorporates women at the intersection of the public/private divide, problematising the terms 'justice', 'citizenship' and 'inequality' in relation to gender. Throughout, we will also consider how gender intersects with other axes of difference and inequality, such as 'race' and class.

This module will explore contemporary theoretical debates in the sociology of tourism, with particular emphasis on how tourism locations are constructed, developed and sustained; the powers and dangers of the 'tourist gaze'; tourism labour markets; tourism and identity; tourism and risk; and social/cultural change.

This module examines key issues and concepts connected to the movement and settlement of people in Europe and beyond. Informed by a transnational studies perspective, the module considers migration debates and practices in a critical, comparative and historically informed manner.

The first part of the module explores the political, social and economic factors that cause people to move in an increasingly interconnected world. The second part of the module is dedicated to the examination of the different theories of integration and settlement and processes of inclusion and exclusion.

The key issues and concepts addressed will include those of transnationalism and diaspora; gender and intersectionality; transnational families and global care chains; multiculturalism, integration and assimilation; identity, home and belonging.

This module aims to develop critical understandings of:

• the concepts of 'offender' rehabilitation and the changing nature of rehabilitative enterprises over time
• the role of risk in the organisation of the criminal justice system and responses to offending
• research about desistance from crime and its relationship to rehabilitation and risk

The module will explore the role of key agencies involved in rehabilitation including the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies and the experiences of those subject to community justice.

There are significant problems with the way that crime is defined, who achieves victim status and how crimes are dealt with. This module considers an alternative approach, restorative justice, in responding to some of these challenges.

It combines lessons from a broad spectrum of disciplines to understand why people behave the way that they do, why current approaches are ineffective and to interrogate the range of 'restorative' approaches that have developed to provide a more effective response to crime and victimisation.

This module will chart the evolution of the social construction of the victim and presence in criminal justice policy by examining the historical, theoretical and research material in victimology. The module will cover the following broad themes:

• Theoretical underpinnings of ‘victimology’
• The victim’s movement
• Key issues and debates in the field of victimology
• Various approaches to responding to victim needs by both governmental and non-governmental organisations