Module SOCI3697: Cyberculture and Cybercrime

Department: Sociology

SOCI3697: Cyberculture and Cybercrime

Prerequisites

• None.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• This module is designed to:
• Focus attention on how and the ways in which crime has become transformed in the information age. Develop an understanding of the three different types of groups of cybercrime that are emerging as problematic (and the three core crime groups – crime against the machine, crime using the machine, crime in the machine).
• Build upon and develop the knowledge and understanding gained from other relevant modules of study.
• Explore, within a sociological and criminological conceptual framework, theoretical understandings of crime in the information age.
• Discuss the role of law and other forms of regulation within that framework of control.
• Examine the nature and role of media representations of crime in the information age.

Content

• What are cybercrimes and what do we know about them? How do we understand them – what is the role of media? Understanding crime in the information age.
• How have networked technologies changed opportunities for criminal activity and alternative modes of communication that transgress convention? The transformation of criminal and wider social activities in cyberspace.
• What are cybercrimes? i) crimes against the machine (e.g., Hacking) ii) crimes using the machine (e.g., frauds) iii) crimes in the machine (e.g. pornography and hate crime).
• What is the relationship between crime, deviance, transgression and creativity?
• How is criminal activity continuing to change in the information age? The automation of offender-victim engagement.
• How is cyberspace policed and by whom? Policing online behaviour to maintain order and law on the cyberbeat and the wider political and cultural sense of order.
• How are cybercrimes to be regulated and prevented at the same time as encouraging creativity by new and effective means of distributed communications?
• Indicative structure and content:
• Change, how much, how do we know? Affordances, problems and subfields, old wine in new bottles and Wall’s transformation test
• Hate, terrorism and hate crime, bullying, stalking and trolling related crimes
• Obscenity, pornography, violent video games and abuse images
• Corruptions of citizenship; privacy, surveillance and hacking.
• Appropriation; fraud, extortion, identity theft and intellectual property crimes.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module, students should demonstrate:
• A knowledge and critical understanding of the ways in which criminological perspectives can be applied to the study of crime in the information age.
• A knowledge and understanding of major theoretical work on the three types of cybercrime.
• A critical appreciation of the complex methodological problems and ethical issues involved in researching crime in the information age.
• Knowledge and understanding of the nature and role of media representations of crime in the information age.

• By the end of the module, students will be able to:
• Critically evaluate relevant criminological arguments and evidence.
• Formulate criminology informed questions with specific reference to relevant issues and debates pertaining to specific forms of cybercrime.
• Employ abstract criminological concepts and use these concepts to express an understanding of specific forms of crime in the information age.

• By the end of the module, students should demonstrate:
• an ability to gather appropriate information about the subject area from a range of different online and offline sources.
• an understanding of the nature and relative value of those sources.
• an ability to construct systematic and coherent written arguments.

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

• Weekly lectures will provide the framework within which to explore crime in the information age and the three cybercrime areas.
• Fortnightly seminars will provide an opportunity for seminar tutors to work with small groups, exploring in greater depth, and collectively, themes and issues arising from the lectures and associated reading. A proportion of seminars will be structured around student presentations. For these, students will work beforehand in twos/threes on a topic congruent with the learning outcomes for this module, as indicated in the Module Programme.
• An optional formative essay linked to seminar presentation topic provides students with opportunities to enhance subject-specific knowledge, subject-specific skill and key skills. Feedback on the formative assignment enables students to critically reflect on the development of their knowledge and skill.
• Summative: The summative essay enable students to demonstrate their achievement and understanding of a specific topic in depth and to construct a systematic discussion within word-limited constraints.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One optional 500 word essay.

■ 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