Criminology and SociologyBSc (Hons)

Becoming a Criminologist

This module will serve as an introduction to university life and has the dual purpose of developing the literacies, discourses and competences needed to become a successful criminologist, while introducing students to the idea of conducting academic criminological research. It will do this by helping you develop your academic skills - such as speed reading, note taking, referencing, paraphrasing and searching for sources. This will be accomplished utilising readings and materials centred on academic research methods.

The module aims to:

1. Introduce you to the discipline and discourses of criminology and what it means to be a criminologist.

2. Build and develop the core academic literacies central to becoming a successful academic and criminologist.

3. Introduce the idea of conducting research into crime and deviance.

4. Introduce different ways in which criminological research can be conducted.

5. Help you settle and adapt to university life, preparing you for your academic studies.

Global Inequalities

We live in an increasingly global world, an increasingly globally connected and
interdependent world, economically, politically and culturally. We also live in an increasingly unequal world. In this module, you will look at the recent growth of inequalities globally both between and within countries and at how economic, political and cultural globalisation has played a key role in producing these growing inequalities.

The module will help you understand the global world in which we live, how it works and how different arguments have in turn celebrated and been critical of recent globalisation. Understanding the global world in which we live is key to developing your sociological imagination. You will examine the scale, nature, causes and consequences of global inequalities both generally and through case study examples of migration, climate change, food production, tourism, fashion and technology.

The aims of the module are to:

● develop an understanding and comprehension of the global world economically, politically and culturally
● develop and demonstrate an understanding and an ability to be critical of different viewpoints
● collect and analyse data to highlight the scale and nature of global inequalities between and within countries
● understand how migration, climate change and the food, clothes and technology that we consume reflect and reproduce global inequalities

Issues in the Criminal Justice System

This module builds on your knowledge of the criminal justice framework to develop a more detailed knowledge of the criminal justice system (CJS) of England and Wales, criminal justice policy, legislation and social justice outcomes by exploring the following contemporary issues:

● ‘Bias’ in the CJS.
● The use of surveillance in the CJS.
● The introduction of private sector providers within the CJS.
● The CJS’s treatment of victims of crime.
● Media representations of crime, victims of crime and agencies of the CJS.
● Developments in crime prevention.
● Recent and current (officially recorded) crime trends.
● Differences in international systems of criminal justice.

The module aims to:

1. Provide you with a solid grounding and overview of these contemporary issues to help you build a more detailed knowledge for levels 5 and 6.
2. Raise your awareness and understanding of the impact of these issues on the criminal justice sector, the delivery of social justice, the service provided to the public by the CJS and public perceptions of the system.
3. Develop your knowledge of historical developments, current policies and significant changes to the CJS.
4. Provide a comparative perspective of other systems of criminal justice.

Researching Social Life

This module provides the foundation for an explicit, clear focus on social research throughout Sociology and related degrees, in addition to supporting students to acquire understanding of and skills in academic literacy. Some methodological principles and perspectives for effective social research are explained and also illustrated through exploration of research case studies. It will additionally provide experience in using the vast array of text, visual and statistical primary documentary sources and their interpretation for research. Research as a process will be examined including main empirical research approaches, the formulation and development of research questions and social, ethical and political contexts of research practice.

Social Divisions

This module introduces the students to social divisions, focussing on the UK in general, and on England and London in particular. This module scrutinises some of the regular patterns of division in society, and the advantages, disadvantages, and inequality that these divisions may lead to. The concept of ‘stratification’ is used to discover the hierarchical order of some of the social groupings, such as gender, sexuality, ‘race’/ethnicity, (dis)ability and social class. The module explores the inequalities amongst these social groupings on many levels, such as education, health, wealth and housing.

The Criminal Justice Framework

This module introduces you to the framework and functions of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) of England and Wales. It provides a foundation of the aims and roles of the agencies of the CJS which you can build into a more detailed knowledge of issues in criminal justice, criminal justice policy, legislation and social justice outcomes at levels 5 and 6.

The module aims to:

1. Provide a solid grounding of the context of the criminal justice system within the constitution of the United Kingdom.

2. Identify the theoretical models of criminal justice which will help inform an understanding of the social function of criminal justice systems.

3. Review the historical development, structures and roles of key agencies responsible for the execution of criminal justice in England and Wales upon which you will be equipped to build a grasp of issues relating to criminal justice.

4. Identify significant examples of policy and legislative changes and evaluate how these have altered the functions and inter-agency cooperation of key agencies of the CJS and the wider impact some of these changes have had on social justice.

5. Provide an understanding of the potential future career opportunities available in the criminal justice sector.

The Development of Criminological Thought

Building on the ideas covered in traditional theories and concepts, you will examine how the discipline of criminology developed. You will explore how criminologists have continued to critique and apply traditional theories in their own explanations of crime. You will explore modern debates about how crime can be understood, and what should be done to address it. You will also explore perspectives which have critiqued the subject of criminology.

Traditional Criminological Theories and Concepts

In the module you will be introduced to origins of criminological thinking, through an exploration of some of the key thinkers who shaped the discipline’s development and created theories to explain and understand crime. You will develop an understanding of the social context in which relevant theories emerged, be able to recognise their limitations, and some of their biases. You will also be able to recognise the policy implications of the theories you explore, as well as their enduring influence on policy and criminological research.

Analysing Crime Narratives

The module explores qualitative methods which are deployed as a way of understanding criminals and the phenomenon of crime in more flexible ways than those permitted by the collation of crime statistics. The utility and justification of qualitative research methodologies is critically considered and you have the opportunity to develop a variety of practical research skills, from conducting a qualitative interview to analysing qualitative data using NVivo and writing research reports. This module aims to develop your knowledge of qualitative research methods and ability to apply them in practice to enhance your future employment opportunities.

Analysing Crime Statistics

This module takes you through the research process in relation to quantitative methodologies from the formulation of a research problem through appropriate collection and analysis of data to the writing-up of results in the form of a research report. The module sets out the research contexts in which this methodology is appropriate and discusses the skills and limitations associated with surveys as an important research method in criminology. At the same time, the module introduces you to the Crime Survey England and Wales as one of the main quantitative data sets on crime in the UK.

Self and Society

This module introduces students to some of the key sociological approaches used to explore and explain the sociological notion of ‘self’. This will involve an examination of a range of major 20th century sociological thinkers on the nature of the social construction of self – eg. Mead, Goffman – and it’s constrains – e.g. Marx and Parsons. The intention is to use some of the major sociological theorists and apply their insights into current concerns with the ‘project’ of self and identity. That is, to examine how much choice we have in becoming who we are.

Sociology of Everyday Life

In this module you will learn to apply sociological understanding and methodology of observing and explaining the everyday life: its routines, rhythms and those aspects of social life that we consider familiar and known. You will be able to see the strange in the familiar, learning the practice of sociological thinking. You will be asked to suspend any taken for granted assumptions about the rules and routines of social life, and look at everyday behaviour from the perspective of an external observer. You will learn how everyday life has come to be theorised and understood by key sociological thinkers. Alongside this, you will learn about sociological approaches to topics such as home, eating, shopping, emotions, embarrassment, shame and romance.

Becoming a Criminal Justice Professional

The aim of this module is to encourage professional development. The module is delivered via small group workshops which focus on the development and/or strengthening of your professional profile in preparation for future job applications. You will also develop/strengthen your knowledge and understanding of potential roles within the criminal justice sector and consider how to match some of the skills/qualifications required by employers with those you have developed during your degree and previous work/study experience. The knowledge, skills and understanding gained via this module will be useful for those who intend to seek employment within the criminal justice sector.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions:

1. You will develop an understanding of key roles within the criminal justice sector.
2. You will be encouraged to develop your professional profile (CV, LinkedIn, cover letters, interview performance etc).
3. You will consider how to match your skills to criminal justice employers’ requirements.
4. You will be encouraged to consider your career aspirations and to develop the skills and confidence to pursue them.

Crime Prevention and Environmental Design

This module begins by offering a discussion about the complexity of defining crime prevention and how this concept involves the consideration of many sectors (including that of education, urban planning, public policy and of course, criminal justice). From this broad starting point, the module explains the key concepts in crime prevention (crime control, crime reduction, and community safety). The module then discusses different types of crime prevention including that of: developmental crime prevention, community crime prevention, situational crime prevention, law enforcement / criminal justice crime prevention and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). In examining these varying forms of crime prevention, the module draws upon contemporary environmental criminological and psychological research as well as real-world case studies from across the world. An emphasis throughout the module is ‘what works’ in preventing crime. In doing so, the module offers an acute investigation of the evidence that supports the claim that the built environment can be designed to prevent crime. The module also advances critical discussion of the limits and problems of crime prevention approaches (such as that regarding displacement and diffusion effects as well as net-widening and ethical problems surrounding pre-crime monitoring).

Crime in Context

In this module you will explore concerns about crime and criminals within their historical and social context, and consider how these change over time. In doing so you will explore how social reactions to crime can be understood using a constructionist approach, involving the construction of ‘others’.

The central themes revolve around why some behaviours and some groups of people are ‘constructed’ as the focus of concern and special treatment. Equally, it considers why some crimes, such as corporate crime, or state crime, usually receive less attention. This exploration encourages reflection on how and why certain behaviours are defined and constructed as ‘crime’, and ‘social problems’.

Crimes of the Powerful

The aim of this module is to explore the range of crimes committed by the powerful, such as white-collar, state, corporate and environmental crime, and the level of harm they cause to societies and economies. Traditionally, criminal justice systems and criminology as a discipline, have focused on the crimes committed by the most disadvantaged and powerless members of society. Crimes committed by powerful individuals or organisations have not faced the same level of attention and scrutiny. This is despite the fact these crimes are often very serious and contribute to more injuries, deaths, financial loss and social harm than ‘conventional’ crimes.

In this module you will gain a critical understanding of the key concepts, theories, and issues, past and present, in relation to crimes committed by the powerful. You will be encouraged to actively participate in discussion and debates linked to key themes and given opportunities for reflective learning. You will develop the skills to investigate, critically examine, and present detailed analysis of current case studies of crimes committed by states, corporations and powerful individuals. In this module, you will also gain an understanding of the difficulties experienced when trying to regulate, investigate and research these crimes. As part of your assessment, you will be required to create a ‘campaign for social change’ file related to crime committed by powerful entities. You will develop transferable skills in oral and written analysis, independent learning, reflective learning and group-work which will help in future professional practice or postgraduate study.

Criminological Research in Context

The aim of this module is to encourage the development of knowledge, skills and understanding for criminological research and the types of methods which are adopted within the field. Via small group workshops you will focus on the development and/or strengthening of your knowledge in relation to key social science research methods/ theory which might be applicable to UG/PG study in the field of criminology and associated subject areas. You will be encouraged to consider how research methods, theory, and the specific studies explored within the module, might be relevant to your own ideas/plans for your final year criminology research project. The knowledge, skills and understanding gained via this module will be useful for those who are interested in conducting criminological research.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions:

a. You will develop an understanding of a range of key social science research methods/theory.

b. You will develop your knowledge and understanding of a range of criminological research/studies and consider the significance of research findings in terms of the contribution to knowledge and/or the impact that research findings can have upon policy/practice within the criminal justice sector.

c. You will develop the skills to critically review criminological research/articles. As you do this you will also be encouraged to reflect upon your own ideas for your final year research project and the method/s you might adopt to study a criminological topic of your own choosing in the final year.

Criminology Today

In this module you will build on the themes explored in crime in context by examining contemporary themes in criminology. This will involve an introductory examination of different categories of crime which have become the focus of attention and concern. You will critique perspectives on different categories of crime by exploring and evaluating the evidence gathered by criminologists. You will also explore different theoretical understandings of specific categories of crime and consider their policy implications.

Cybercrime and Surveillance

This module will look at the dark side of technology and the way it has transformed criminal activities. It will engage with the different types of cyber-crime and strategies to combat them, including the challenges of policing the internet, especially when it comes to crimes taking place across different jurisdictions. The second part of this module will analyse e-surveillance, through critically examining how our daily transactional data are managed, particularly in regards to right to privacy versus security issues, as well as the exploitation of personal data for corporate purposes.

The module aims:

1. To provide an overview of the main issues in the field of cybercrime, through the analysis and evaluation of the academic research.

2. To critically explore the challenges of researchers and practitioners investigating cybercrime.

3. To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of e-surveillance, while analysing the ways in which the stored transactional data is being used by law enforcement bodies and corporations.

Dark Destinations - Crime and Tourism

This module looks at ‘dark tourism’- a term most commonly used to describe tourist activities in places that are associated with death and suffering, or activities carried out by tourists that are deviant, illegal or have associated harms. Along with highlighting the historical events that inspire dark tourism, the module will take a look at the underlying harms and crimes that are often still perpetrated, affecting both consumers and people who work in tourism or live close to tourist hotspots.

The module aims to:

1. Identify and explore crime and deviance related tourism.

2. Introduce you to global historical crimes and harms which have inspired contemporary tourist activities.

3. Allow you to investigate the underlying harms and crimes that occur in relation to tourism hotpots.

4. Encourage you to consider the reasons behind the publics’ fascination with dark tourism.

5. Explore how both consumers and local people are impacted by dark tourism.

Drugs and Drug Policy

The aim of this module is to provide you with a critical understanding of drug use, the drugs trade and drug policy from legal, cultural, criminological, public health and human rights perspectives. You will acquire an understanding of drugs theories and concepts and learn to apply them to a range of social and cultural contexts. The module will enable you to develop an understanding of the social, cultural and economic factors that influence substance use and drug related offending. It will also provide you with a critical understanding of the historical, political, social and economic factors shaping the drug-crime nexus, the drugs trade and enforcement strategies. In an analysis of the origins and history of drug policy and through its development you will also gain knowledge of the ways in which drug control and regulation is conducted along racial, gendered and class lines, and the social costs and ‘collateral damage’ of the drugs’ war.

You will be provided with the critical tools to formulate and defend, orally and in writing, evidence-based arguments on key issues in the drugs field on topics such as the legal-illegal divide, the impact of the global prohibition regime, drug harms, treatment and welfare, drug functions and freedoms and questions of identity, consumption, and risk. You will be given the opportunity and critical tools to evaluate a contemporary drug policy. You will also be given the opportunity to critically appraise the assumptions underpinning discourses on drugs and drug policy and criminal justice and treatment responses. You will gain knowledge of drug laws, criminal justice as well as treatment policies and practices, providing you with the knowledge and understanding for working competently with substance users and drug offenders in criminal justice, health and social care, and advocacy roles.

Living on the Margins

This module draws on previous modules relating to inequality and social division. The emphasis is on various marginalised groups in society, including, but not limited to, families with children, people with disabilities, ‘race’/ethnicity, elderly, and members of the LGBTQI+ community. It looks into various areas of life where these societal groups are more at risk than others, such as increased health and wealth inequalities, and inequalities in education. It also looks into various policies aimed at supporting these groups in order to achieve a more equal society. Whilst focus is mainly on marginalised groups in London, it equips the students with skills and knowledge on marginalised social groups that can be applied on national level as well.

Perspectives on Policing

The module aims to familiarise you with specialist policing operations by reviewing different perspectives (e.g. practical and academic) on a range of policing interventions. This involves exploring the development of policing strategies and procedures in a variety of specialist areas and also examines legislative developments.

Ethical dilemmas and the ways in which they are confronted and resolved in policing are also assessed via the workshops, reading and discussions:

1. You will examine aspects of contemporary specialist policing from both practical and academic viewpoints.
2. You will critically explore the operational challenges and ethical dilemmas inherent in specialist police operations.
3. You will draw upon recent case studies and examine actual operational scenarios to critically assess the effectiveness of the police response to crime, victims and offenders in relation to specific crime types.
4. You will develop your team working skills and your ability to research, analyse, and communicate (orally and/or in writing) information and evidence-based arguments relating to ‘real world’ contemporary policing issues.

Society at the End of Days

Many are those who fear that the end of the world and/or life as we know it is nigh. But what is meant by this, what is driving these views, and what impact does the spectre of society’s end have on us today, or should? In this module we will explore several versions of ‘end times’, such as: religious stories of apocalypse; the threat of catastrophic nuclear war (‘mutually assured destruction’); climate devastation via global warming; the ascendency of ‘artificial intelligence’; philosophical nihilism and socio-political theories about the ‘end of history’. Our aim will be to see what can be learnt by investigating how humans have variably imagined the end(s) of society – a pastime that has become increasingly prevalent since the Covid-19 pandemic. What do these stories and theories tell us about ourselves, about our hopes/fears for the future and what we hold sacred? What actions do they prompt – or perhaps more worryingly fail to – and why?

Sociology and Current Affairs

In this module you will learn to apply a range of contemporary social theories and concepts to the understanding of current affairs. The module will provide you with the conceptual tools to critically assess representations of social groups and events in virtual and print media and other portrayals of contemporary social life, political events, and social issues. The module will allow you to develop a conceptual toolkit drawn from semiotics, phenomenology, post-structuralism, among others, to explore representations of difference and power and to appreciate how they acquire ‘newsworthiness’. You will learn how to view current affairs – ranging from coverage of debates on global poverty and social exclusion to migration and terrorism – through a sociological lens in order to look beyond the spectacle or apparent banality of the news.

The module will contribute to the development of your practical skills in critical analysis by exploring [a] the way that social issues are represented for public consumption; and [b] the value of applying social theory to achieve in-depth interpretations of events and roles of social actors. In an age of multiple media platforms, the ‘quick news fix’ of social media, and the proliferation of fake news, ‘Sociology and Current Affairs’ will encourage you to develop and use innovative and imaginative approaches to gain and communicate better understandings of the complexity of the world around us.

Understanding Gender and Sexuality

This module introduces students to the key concepts and theories relating to the social construction of gender and sexuality and their application to a range of social sectors and issues in the UK and abroad. This module addresses the ways in which gender and sexuality are both constitutive of the social and are established through social structures, institutions and interactions. Drawing on intersectional approach, this module will explain the ways in which theories of gender and sexuality inform the sociological study of the family, work, health, education, crime, the welfare state and politics, media and the body. To this end, the approach to gender and sexual discrimination and inequalities will be made in connection to other forms of social identity, including class, race and ethnicity.

The aims of the module are to:

• Introduce and critically analyse key concepts in the sociological theories of gender and sexuality;
• Understand how the notions of gender and sexuality impact all levels of social structures, social relations and social identities;
• Address the intersections between gender, sexuality and other forms of social identity and difference, including class, race, ethnicity.
• Consider the conceptual framework for the persistence of discrimination and inequalities on the basis of gender and sexual orientation.

Youth in Modern Society: Consumers, Deviants and Rebels

In the current period a plethora of youth resistance actions, movements and subcultures
have developed in response to socio-economic deprivation on a global scale. From
youth riots to graffiti writers in the UK to the politicised Latin Kings and Queens gang in New York, young people are developing cultural, political and deviant responses to their dispossession and exclusion. In this module we will focus on case-studies and theories of youth social, cultural and deviant resistance over time. Questions of race/ethnicity, class, gender and age will be addressed as we explore the e meanings and representations of youth reactions to industrial and post-industrial societies.

This is a an interdisciplinary module which combines the perspectives from sociology, ciminology and cultural studies to address contemporary youth experience.

Criminology Project

The overall aim of this module is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to design and conduct an independent criminological research project, and to produce a written research report. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of criminological theory and its application, of the quality and significance of criminological research evidence, and the relevance of your research to contemporary issues and debates in criminology and criminal justice fields.

The module aims to:

1. Give you the opportunity to reflect upon your learning, your experience, and the skills you have acquired to date, to independently define and research a criminological topic which is of interest to you.
2. Further develop your research skills, encouraging you to formulate feasible criminological research questions, to select appropriate quantitative/qualitative methods, and to reflect upon ethical issues which arise in research.
3. Give you the opportunity to produce a written research report which demonstrates your knowledge, understanding and skills for conducting criminological research, recognising the relationship between criminology and related fields as well as the limits of knowledge.

Living Theory

In this module we will explore and apply important theories and concepts in contemporary social theory for the purpose of enhancing our understanding of the world we live in. Through the work of contemporary social thinkers, the module will examine and test out the ways in which social theories and concepts are ‘live’ – not dead or irrelevant abstractions of little consequence, but a living and crucial part of how people understand reality and navigate its vicissitudes. This will support your learning in other modules, and post-university, by deepening your understanding of key theoretical frameworks for analysing social phenomena and enhancing your ability to apply them.

'The Deviant Other' - media representations of crime

This module looks at the way crime and deviance is represented in the media and interrogates the reasons behind these representations. The module will focus on different forms of media – both traditional and modern, and examine the way crimes and groups labelled as ‘other’ are presented to the public.

The module aims to:

1. Focus on how different crimes are represented in the media
2. Develop an understanding of how ‘deviant others’ are represented in the media
3. Critically analyse how the media shape perceptions of groups or individuals labelled as ‘other’
4. Consider the reasons behind the media representations of crime, criminality and deviance
5. Analyse different forms of media, both factual and fictional

Comparative and Global Social Policy

This module focuses on different welfare state regimes/clusters, with emphasis on the relationship between the four pillars of welfare provision. It also provides the student with knowledge in how to make international social policy comparisons. It also focuses on the broader political, social and economic context in which social policy is constructed and implemented.

Conversations in Sociological Thought

This module addresses the decolonial encounter in contemporary sociology. Following an initial revisiting of the foundations of social theory, the module invites you to critically explore sociology ‘beyond the Western Canon’ and its roots in Eurocentrism to develop a decolonised sociological imagination. The aim of the module is to develop an ongoing conversation in contemporary social thought rather than viewing contesting perspectives as an insurmountable challenge. In short, you will explore the perceived limits of Eurocentrism and assess the need to rethink the basis of sociology’s conceptual knowledge and vocabulary.

You will reconsider enduring sociological problems such as ‘alienation’ and ‘anomie’ alongside the work of theorists such as Frantz Fanon and other postcolonial writers; explore the biopolitical disciplining of the social body via a conversation between the ideas of Michel Foucault and Achille Mbembe; assess the continued relevance of Simone de Beauvoir’s feminist theory compared to the critical intersectionality of Patricia Hill Collins.

‘Conversations in Sociological Thought’ will enable you to reassess the value of the Eurocentric traditions of sociology by addressing critical questions at the core of classical and contemporary social thought through a reflexive exploration of intersubjectivity, bodily practice, race, and gender in the contexts of past and contemporary social experience.

Criminology Work-Based Learning

This module provides an opportunity for you to develop your previously learned work-based skills and gain valuable experience of a working environment either in the
criminal justice sector or in a private, statutory or voluntary organisation related to criminal justice and criminology. From this experience, the objective is for you to reflect and develop new capacities and skills in the context of your future goals. This objective also applies if you are currently in the workplace, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity.

The module aims to:

1. develop key skills and knowledge for you to understand your abilities in relation to your career values and goals
2. practically apply the knowledge gained through the course programme to a work environment
3. give you an in-depth insight of a work environment
4. provide an opportunity for you to reflect on the culture and structure of a working environment, your activity within it and to demonstrate inclusive workplace practice
5. 5. give you the ability to recognise your personal and professional development learning to apply to your future goals.

Please note:

• You will be contacted prior to the semester to provide support in securing a work based placement in good time.
• You are responsible for applying for opportunities and to engage with the Module Leader/Work Based Learning teams to assist you.
• The suitability of any opportunities will be assessed by the Module Leader and all placements must meet Health and Safety requirements for Higher Education Work Placements.
• If you are studying on a Student Visa, you will only be able to complete a work placement if it meets UKVI monitoring requirements including: approval of the placement dates and hours by the Placement Officer prior to starting the placement, submission of weekly timesheets for the hours undertaken, signed by your line manager/supervisor and continued engagement with the Placement Officer as well as the International Student Support and Compliance Team.

Criminology of Pleasure

The aim of this module is to explore a range of pleasures that have throughout history been subject to varying levels of regulation and social control via criminal justice policy/practice. You will critically consider changing perceptions in relation to a range of pleasures and desires (e.g. drugs, pornography, graffiti, gambling etc). The module is delivered via workshops which begin by exploring illicit pleasures and the legal and social responses to such acts. Key theoretical concepts and schools of thought within the field, such as cultural criminology, will be explored.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions:
a. You will explore a range of illicit pleasures and assess historical/contemporary legal and social responses to such acts.
b. You will consider the changing perceptions/moralities regarding pleasures that might also be regarded as harmful/criminal.
c. You will develop your understanding of key theoretical concepts and schools of thought within the field.
d. You will develop your ability to research, analyse, and communicate thoughts relating to crime/pleasure and its control.

Empowering London: Working within the Community

A new innovative module combining work based learning and a radical model of critical and transformative citizenship. This module has been developed to allow you to work intensively with a London community project/organisation in order to identify (in partnership with them) a challenge they are faced with and work towards positively addressing this challenge This innovative module is an exciting opportunity to work at a grass-roots level to effect change and to learn about the key issues currently affecting London and other large cities.

We live in the sixth wealthiest economy in the world, and London produces 22% of all Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, we also have a significant problem with inequalities and wealth distribution. The current poverty rate in the UK is 22% and in London this is even higher at 28%.

As of July 2020 there have been 79,437 violent crimes in the last year resulting in injury in London and 152 homicides. Included within this, there has been a steady increase in incidents of serious youth violence, with latest figures showing 8,151 young victims. This is despite concerted efforts to better support young people. The COVID-19 lockdown raised awareness of the prevalence of domestic violence, however, even before lockdown London was seeing a steady increase with reported cases rising from 75,159 in April 2016 to 91,226 in June 2020.

London's health inequalities are created by social, geographical and biological factors. The difference between highest and lowest healthy life expectancy in areas of London is 15.7 years based on Public Health England data. Contributing factors include infant mortality, excess weight, physical activity, smoking, homelessness and disease.

We are facing a global climate and ecological crisis, and London is a case in point. As the capital’s population grows to 11 million by 2050, addressing problems of polluted air, water stress, poor access to public greenspace, and the effects of climate change, such as overheating and flooding, will become increasingly urgent. London therefore has ambitious targets to meet WHO air quality guidelines by 2030, become carbon neutral by 2050, and become half greenspace and have 12% more tree cover by 2050.

However, at the same time the scope for local authorities to address these issues has been reduced by heavy pressures of austerity and a neo-liberal policy agenda. Many local community voluntary organisations are left with a vacuum to compensate for.

As a university and ‘anchor institution’ to the London economy, we believe it is our role to help ‘Empowering London’. This module has been designed to empower you as our student by learning about some of the challenges facing our city and to contribute to addressing this via work based learning. Our fundamental aim is to help you become a values driven graduate who can make a positive difference to society. This module will provide you with some of the tools to achieve this goal.

The module is designed to enhance your wider personal and professional development. It will facilitate application and progression of knowledge gained via your studies and wider life experience. The module includes values-driven, professional training and work experience to assist in preparing you for your individual future career. Through work based practice, you will positively contribute to a key part of the University’s Strategic agenda, addressing current social and economic issues facing London communities. This unique module allows you to be challenged by contributing to current, real world projects, working with the University and students from other professional disciplines to make a positive difference to society.

The initial stages of this 15 credit, year-long module will introduce you to a range of professional skills and techniques, including: reflective self-assessment; preparation for employment as a values-driven graduate within inclusive work environments; becoming an ethical leader; being a critical employee and developing approaches for co-operative and collaborative working.

You will then be introduced to employment experience opportunities supporting organisations and/or individuals in the local community. This could include working with communities and organisations towards programmes aiming to address collective identity and civic agency in neighbourhoods. The London Met Small Business and Charities and Social Enterprise Clinics, will additionally provide suitable opportunities for placements. You will work individually or in teams, in partnership with community institutions to support the activities of one of London Met’s strategic priorities - the Empowering London initiative. Your practice will positively contribute to addressing the challenges facing London which impact everyone’s lives.

The module has been co-created with students and ongoing feedback will be sought from a range of students on an ongoing basis.

The module aims to enable you to:
● Effectively express and understand your current skills and abilities in relation to your career values and goals
● Practically apply the knowledge gained through your course programme to a work/neighbourhood environment
● Make a positive contribution to the challenges of current social and economic issues facing the University’s local communities and consider these from national and global perspectives
● Gaining unique insight of current challenges facing cities in the areas of social wealth; the environment; discrimination; health; poverty and deprivation and crime and partner with community institution to design potential solutions
● Gain understanding and direct experience of the graduate level skills, knowledge and insights required for inclusive practice and problem resolution within institutions to enable you to become an inclusive leader in society
● Recognise your personal and professional development through your work based practice and how to apply the experience and knowledge gain to your future goals

Environmental Justice

This module will delve into the key issues of eco-criminology, also known as green criminology, such as deforestation, environmental toxic waste, wildlife crime and the trade on endangered species. It will explore the dynamics between corporate environmental crimes and the victims, often small communities, in shaping environmental justice. This module will also evaluate the regulations, policies and laws that address environmental harms, such as setting restrictions on the type and amount of pollution a company can emit, including the challenges and dilemmas that policymakers encounter. Furthermore, this module will explore how breaches of these policies/regulations and laws are handled at a local, and at a global level, in developed and developing countries, as well as the challenges of a common action at a global level to eliminate the unequal distribution of environmental harm.

The module aims:

1. To provide you with an outline of the key concepts and challenges in the research of green criminology
2. To evaluate the main theoretical debates, and how law enforcement bodies deal with green crimes, especially when victims happen to be non-humans
3. To critically analyse the challenges that researchers and law enforcement bodies encounter when investigating environmental crimes.

Gender Politics

This module explores the ways in which gender and sexual inequalities and violence reproduce through policies and practices impacting social structures and institutions, such as family, work environment, health system, education, criminal law, the welfare state, and media. Drawing on transnational and intersectional perspectives, this module looks to how the lack of gender perspective exacerbates inequalities and dynamics of violence in several contexts, such as education, migration, media and health. To this end, this module traces feminist debates concerning women’s and men’s role and under-representation in politics, policies and practices perpetuating dynamics of violence against women (domestic violence, femicide) and/or the criminalisation of homosexuals in several hotspots. With a focus on the global, this module offers new perspectives on the political process, both formal and informal, impacting women and sexual minorities and sheds light on the way that gender power is unevenly distributed in global society.

The aims of the module are to:

• Critically analyse how gender and sexual inequalities reproduce in policies and practices in global hotspots.
• Address how discriminatory policies and practices impact all spheres of life, including family, work environment, health system, education, criminal law, the welfare state, and media in several global settings.
• Understand how under-representation of women and sexual minorities in politics perpetuate dynamics of violence against women and the criminalisation of homosexuals in several hotspots.
• Consider the intersections between gender and sexuality and class, racial and ethnic inequalities in the study of gender perspective in politics.

Gender and Crime

The module investigates the relationship between gender and crime, and unpacks the debate on the individual as criminal or victim (sometimes both). You will examine the relationships between gender and crime, looking at a range of topics including gendered violence, female offending, masculinities and crime, sex crimes, sex work and sex trafficking, women drugs and drug trafficking, and media and crime. You will also consider key issues in current criminal justice policy and practice related specifically to women both as both victims and offenders drawing on feminist theories of crime.

The module aims:

● To critically examine the gendered nature of crime
● To understand the theories of gender and crime
● To explore key issues in current criminal justice policy and practice related specifically to women both as both victims and offenders
● To assess the differential impact of violence on and potential of crime prevention.

Global Crime and Disorder

The aim of this module is to provide you with a critical understanding of the historical, conceptual, and theoretical ideas fundamental to the study of crime and criminal justice in a contemporary global context. You will acquire knowledge of conceptual and theoretical frameworks such as globalisation, neoliberalism, securitization, and global inequalities through which global crime and disorder can be interpreted and analysed. In this module, you will explore how the quest for order in the name of crime control and risk management contributes to dis-order; the way political discourse and the mass media manufacture global disorder and risk; and the ways state actors are often complicit in transnational crime and global dis-order.

You will be provided with the analytical tools to critically appraise global criminological and social justice problems such as migration, the rise of the right, terrorism, global drug crime, ecocide, and modern slavery, and criminal justice policy responses. The module will help you to develop your ability to communicate coherently and clearly, orally and in writing, and present and defend cogent arguments in relation to global issues. You will carry out an investigation of a social justice movement as part of your assessment. The module will provide you with the knowledge and competencies useful for future employment in international justice organisations, intergovernmental organisations, policy making, as well as for postgraduate study. This wide-ranging module utilises research-informed teaching to help you develop an outward looking, reflective and critical approach to crucial current global issues.

Homelessness and Housing Policy

In this module, you will look at one of the most pressing social issues in the UK today – that of the cost and shortage of housing and of the shortage of affordable housing in particular. Living in a safe, comfortable and secure home is a human right, essential to our wellbeing. However, it is widely agreed that we have a housing crisis in the UK. This crisis is perhaps especially acute in London but it is a crisis which affects much of the country. Over the past ten years, the cost of housing, including rents in the private rented sector have spiralled while the number of social rented homes has continued to fall and the numbers of people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation has risen. In this module, you will look at the scale and at the underlying causes of the housing crisis in the UK. You will look at the shortage of affordable housing, the growth of the private rented sector and at the collapse of social rented housing. You will also look at how access to housing and the housing market reflects wider social divisions in terms of class, ethnicity and gender. The module places housing and housing policy at the core of our understanding of society, social divisions and social policy.

The module focuses on housing policy and on social housing, looking at the history of social housing in the UK and at changes in housing policy since the 1980s. The module also looks at the growth of homelessness and at the underlying causes of the growing level of homelessness. You will look at homelessness policy, at good practice models of how to tackle homelessness and at the link between housing and poverty and the importance of both housing and welfare policy as instruments of poverty reduction.

The aims of the module are to:

• understand what the housing market is and how it works
• develop an understanding of the problems in accessing decent housing in the UK, how widespread the problems are, which groups suffer most and why these problems appear to have worsened over recent years
• develop data handling and data analysis skills to collect and analyse relevant data on housing and the housing crisis in the UK
• develop and demonstrate an understanding of housing policy and housing policy changes in the UK
• develop policy analysis and policy evaluation skills
• understand how the housing market reflects the different economic and political ideologies which shape housing policy

Human Rights and Conflict

You will develop an understanding of the international human rights framework and consider debates and theories challenging this framework (including a critical assessment of the concept and implementation of the universality of human rights). The module will enable you to evaluate various international conventions on the protection of human rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The module will examine violations of human rights in the light of various social and political contexts across the world and gain an understanding of how human rights applies in specific contexts; how such violations impact societies, communities and individuals; and how individuals and organisations work for justice in such harrowing circumstances. In addition, the module will explore issues surrounding cases of historic injustice relating to human rights abuses and atrocities committed in conflicts.

Migration, Borders and Control

The aim of this module is to investigate the complex relationship between migration, crime, borders and the criminal justice system. In this module, you will discuss the management of migration, focusing on the control of borders and the processing of migrants. You will examine the relationships between migration, borders and crime, looking at a range of topics such as forced migration, migrant smuggling, policing migration and borders, imprisoning foreign nationals, immigration detention, deportation and human rights, drawing on theoretical work and empirical research in a range of disciplines.

The module aims to:

• Critically examine the complex relationship between migration, borders and crime
• Understand and explain key concepts such as national sovereignty, citizenship, globalisation and migration
• Understand some of the theories emerging from recent research on migration, borders and crime.
• Explore diverse forms of border policing and crime control.
• Assess the differential impacts of migration control on particular groups (e.g. gender/nationality/race/ethnicity, class)

Organised Crime

This module explores the social, economic and political issues associated with the emergence and illicit activities of organised crime. It will delve into the different definitions and types of organised crime, such as mafia, cartels, syndicates and gangs.

The module will also provide a brief overview of the historical context and the main theories and research in the field. At the same time, it will explore the practical implications of policing organised crime, especially when it comes to its increasingly transnational nature.

This module also looks at the criminal activities of organised crime, including human/drugs/arms trafficking, cybercrime, and the push and pull factors that influence the mobility of organised crime groups across territories.

The module aims:

1. To analyse prominent research and theoretical underpinnings in the field of organised crime

2. To critically explore the main facets of organised crime groups and illicit activities

3. To outline the key challenges encountered by those who investigate organised crime, i.e. academics and practitioners

Policing Strategies and Investigations

The aim of this module is to evaluate a range of policing strategies and investigative techniques in the UK. You will gain a critical knowledge and understanding of the key concepts, issues and practical considerations in criminal investigation. A review of miscarriages of justice and their consequences for the criminal justice system will frame an appraisal of the reforms made through legislation and codes of practice to improve investigative procedures and policing practices. You will acquire the conceptual tools to critically evaluate the impact of legislative reforms (e.g. PACE) on every day policing practices. You will consider questions of ethics, police culture, effectiveness, efficiency and public confidence alongside policing strategies (e.g. investigative interviewing, decision making, crime scene preservation, intelligence-led and covert policing). You will further consider these questions in the scrutiny of a number of public inquiries (e.g. Byford and Macpherson), and in an evaluation of police accountability systems.

On this module you will develop desirable skills required for effective police work including the ability to understand and interpret legislation, procedural guidelines and codes of practice relevant to criminal investigation; incorporate questions of ethics, public trust and accountability into investigative practice and decision making; communicate well with peers; and research, collate and organise information from a variety of sources, and present it in a coherent and concise way for information and peer review. The assessment will require you to carry out a critical evaluation of an investigative strategy or issue using a case study for peer review. You will conduct a peer review of another student’s evaluative piece.

Punishment and Prison

The module will focus on critical consideration of the principles of punishment and the role of imprisonment in the criminal justice system and wider society. Looking at prisons within a ‘real world’ context, issues with penal policy and practice will be considered. The needs of specific minority and vulnerable groups of offenders (including women, young people, ethnic minority and mentally disordered offenders) will be considered. Comparative penal perspectives will be explored by considering a number of international perspectives, including the American/Scandinavian examples.

Via the workshops, reading and discussions you will:

1. Develop an understanding of the aims and principles of punishment and prisons via an exploration of the operation of prisons and the role of imprisonment within the criminal justice system and wider society.
2. Explore comparative penal perspectives and develop understanding of diversity within penal policy and practice.
3. Enhance analytic skills and critical awareness through consideration of both official rhetoric and evidence together with the limitations of penal policies and practice in a 'real world' context.
4. Develop your ability to research, analyse, and communicate arguments relating to punishment, penal policy and practice.

Racism in the Global Context

This module explains the ways in which race and ethnicity have become a method for labelling humanity worldwide. This module will enable you to explore the intersections of race, ethnicity, and politics in the global context and will enable you to understand how anti-racist theories and ideologies dismantle both racial categories and discriminatory social norms against people globally. We will do so by exploring the current struggles against the reminds of imperialism and colonialism, as well as other forms of racial domination, human control and content in contemporary Europe, the US and the Global South, e.g. India and Latin America.

This module aligns with London Met’s mission in advocating for human rights and tackling inequalities impacting racialised groups in society. This module will encourage to go beyond the Eurocentric ideas that have dominated sociological thinking and to apply more-diverse and -inclusive theoretical frameworks to the interconnectedness among issues of race and ethnicity, gender and/or class discrimination, drawing on the principles of social justice, human rights and empowerment in contemporary world.

Aims. This module will provide key skills and knowledge that will enable you to:

• Critically analyse the foundations of racial and ethnic discrimination
• Address the meanings ascribed to race and ethnicity in the political approach to for example the human rights of irregular migrants and/or ethnic minorities (e.g. indigenous people) in the European context
• Consider racial and ethnic politics and tensions, representational and identity politics, and electoral outcomes in the Americas • Familiarise yourself with colonial legacies and independence, migration and humanitarianism in Africa• Know about citizenship and multiculturalism, the impact of mass tourism, international business, and intersections of race and gender discrimination and violence in Southeast Asia

Religion and the State

This module will provide students with an opportunity to engage with contemporary debates on the relationship between religion and the state and sources of religious intolerance. Students will be required to critically examine the ideas of the classic and contemporary social scientists on religion and explore the application of their ideas to an ever-changing world. Overall, the aim of the module is to develop the students’ capacity to utilise social scientific concepts and perspectives in their analyses of religion in contemporary society. The disciplinary focus of the module will, initially, be the sociology of religion. The application of a range of social scientific approach will also be introduced - historical, political, economic and social psychological approaches.