Module SOCI40830: Sociology of Punishment

Department: Applied Social Sciences

SOCI40830: Sociology of Punishment

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• The module aims to provide students with an advanced level of knowledge and understanding of dominant sociological theories of punishment, the social, political, ideological and economic context shaping the development of penal policy; and current debates in the sociology of punishment.
• The secondary aim of the module is to explore the contemporary issues in penal practice as they relate to sociological theories of punishment.

Content

• The module will:
• Critically explore a range of philosophical justifications and rationales for punishment, and in so doing, their bearing upon policy debate and practice.
• Critically explore a range of sociological accounts and explanations of social control, punishment and imprisonment including the work of Durkheim, Rusche and Kirchheimer, Foucault and Garland.
• Critically explore contemporary issues including: American exceptionalism and capital punishment, migration and imprisonment, global responses to international crime, the underpunishment of crimes of the powerful (i.e. child pornography, white collar crime, war and state crime etc) and specific practices of punishment (for example, anti-social behaviour orders, the overuse of imprisonment for women, young people and minority ethnic groups, alternatives to custody and abolition, the rise and application of restorative justice, mental health and punishment and dilemmas in sentencing).

Learning Outcomes

• An advanced critical understanding of, and a high level of competence in assessing, differing theoretical models of punishment and their application to empirical issues in the sociology of punishment.
• A critical understanding of human rights issues in relation to punishment and its application to penal practice.
• Understand the social, political and economic contexts in the development of policy and practice.

• An ability to critically analyze the values and assumptions underpinning contemporary penal policy.
• An ability to generate and evaluate evidence about complex and often contradictory penal policies and issues and their impact on modes of punishment and penal practice.
• Apply advanced theoretical models and concepts to penal practices.

• By the end of the module students should be able to:
• Critically evaluate evidence.
• Demonstrate a high degree of self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems.
• Construct a research proposal in the subject area.
• Construct systematic and coherent written arguments within the subject area.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This module is delivered through a series of workshops in the first term and a series of seminars in the second term. In the first term, teaching and learning will take place in the form of weekly workshops, each lasting two hours and involving a combination of lecture and group discussions.
• In the second term, students will attend a weekly one hour seminar devoted to examining a key empirical issue in the sociology of punishment.
• Workshops include short lectures, which introduce students to both key sociological analyses of punishment and social control within their historical, social, political and economic contexts and their application to shifting debates in penology and practice.
• In the workshops, discussion and group work will follow lectures. Based around specific tasks relating to the content of each lecture, students will work within small groups to share knowledge and to critically evaluate criminological theories and their current application to penal practice. Following specific exercises and group discussion, students will present their views and conclusions to the rest of the class in order to facilitate further debate and critical reflection.
• Seminars will enable students to explore and assess a variety of penal practices and their application to social divisions, human rights and justice. Students will be encouraged, within seminars, to explore empirical issues in detail, to examine the application of sociological theories to these issues, and to consider the relationship between penal policy and specific practices.
• Students will be expected to read widely around different topics in preparation for both workshops and seminars, drawing on debates within scholarly journals and research monographs, and developing skills in critically engaging with literature.
• The research proposal will assess students competence in formulating research questions and in designing and planning research as well as understanding the epistemological and methodological underpinnings of research.
• The essay will assess both depth of understanding, breadth of knowledge and demonstrate their ability to synthesize knowledge, construct an argument and communicate this coherently and effectively within a word limit.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University