Advances in Criminology: Emerging Theory

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Total of 170 hours

Criminology at Undergraduate level

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Criminology draws its frameworks for inquiry and understanding from a wide range of intellectual traditions and contemporary conceptualisations. There are many recent advances in a diverse array of theory fields that challenge and excite the foundations and practices of criminological inquiry. This subject approaches these theories through examining core criminological problems: structural justice (and injustice), constructions and perceptions of crime, and constructions of and responses to risk. Moving through key examples of how these problems materialise (including racialised policing, understandings of drug use, popular culture representations of crime, regulation of anti-social behaviour, and use of preventative detention), this subject offers a variety of theories that can help criminologists look at these problems in new ways. The theories offered embrace developments in fields such as history, race, feminism, culture, law, psychoanalysis, and post-colonialism, and the subject assesses their capacity to enrich criminological thinking.

On completion of this subject students should:

• develop a sophisticated understanding of the relationship between criminological inquiry and theory construction in a wide range of intellectual disciplines;
• understand recent developments in theory in fields such as history, race, feminism, culture, law, psychoanalysis and post-colonialism;
• evaluate the relevance and impact of developments in theory to criminological inquiry.

• A 1500 word essay (30%) due mid-semester
• A 3500 word research essay (70%) due during the examination period.
• If agreed in advance with the subject coorinator, students can submit one essay of 5000 words (100%) due during the examination period.

Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

A Subject Reader will be available.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should:

• have highly developed cognitive, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• have an advanced understanding of complex concepts and the ability to express them lucidly in writing and orally;
• have sophisticated awareness of cultural, ethnic and gender diversities and their implications;
• have an ability to plan work and to use time effectively.

CRIM90018 Advances in Criminology: Emerging Theory is a compulsory component of the Master of Criminology.