Crime, Media & Culture - SOC00051H
- Department: Sociology
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
Module summary
Working broadly from the perspective of cultural and visual criminology this module engages with theories and debates about the media and its relationship with crime, examining representations of crime and justice in the news media and in popular culture. It considers the role of power and perception through of crime through the media and formation of a mediated crime oriented culture.
Professional requirements
NA
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Spring Term 2022-23 |
Module aims
The aims of this module are to:
- Provide a theoretically informed understanding of the interaction between media representation, crime, criminal justice and culture
- Develop student’s understandings and appreciation of the significance of media narratives and images for different audiences
- Consider the extent to which the media undermines or bolsters existing structures of power and authority
- Reflect on the significance of popular culture portrayals of crime on perceptions of crime and criminal justice
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Evaluate the relationships between crime, criminal justice, media representations and cultural dynamics.
- Display an understanding of the links between crime, criminal justice, the media and cultural contexts.
- Offer analysis of the extent to which cultural contexts and media representations shape crime control.
- Discuss issues of crime, media and culture within a global context.
- Critically analyse key literature and ideas surrounding crime, media and culture
- Express an argument in scholarly but accessible formats
- Evaluate the use of media images from the news, popular culture and social media
Module content
Content for the module could include:
Week 2 Studying Crime, Media and Culture
Week 3 Visual Criminology and the Spectacle of Crime: Trial By Media
Week 4 Female and Child Killers
Week 5 Serial Killing
Week 6 Film and Prisons
Week 7 Crime Fiction
Week 8 Future Imaginings of Crime and Law Enforcement
Week 9 Organised Crime
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 30 |
| Essay/coursework | 35 |
| Essay/coursework | 35 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
Formative assessment is conducted via peer and staff feedback on a visual analysis of an image in preparation for summatively assessed visual analysis.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 30 |
| Essay/coursework | 35 |
| Essay/coursework | 35 |
Module feedback
Oral feedback is provided by staff and student peers in seminars through discussion.
Feedback on summative work is provided in written format and additional oral feedback (based on the written feedback) is provided by personal supervisors.
Indicative reading
Carrabine, E. (2015) Visual criminology. The Routledge handbook of qualitative criminology, London: Routledge.
Greer, C. (ed.) (2019) Crime and media: A reader, London: Routledge.
Jewkes, Y. (2015) Media & Crime (3rd Ed) London: Sage.
Martin, G. (2019) Crime, Media and Culture, London: Routledge.