Criminal Sociology

lcrim2104  2019-2020  Louvain-la-Neuve

Criminal Sociology
Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
5 credits
30.0 h + 15.0 h
Q1
Teacher(s)
Brion Fabienne;
Language
French
Main themes
This course surveys major theoretical approaches to deviance and social control, and to crime and legal punishment.
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 - Expose the major theories and fundemental concepts in sociological criminology.
- Develop analytical skills required for critical appraisal of criminological research 
- Introduce to sociological reasoning and practice as applied to deviance and social control, crime and legal punishment (formulation of research hypotheses, analysis of empirical data)
 

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
Content
Contents: The theories surveyed are :
(1) The social disorganization and ecological theories
(2) The subcultural and strain theories
(3) The differential association and social learning theories
(4) The anomie and structural-functionalist theories
(5) The labelling and social-constructionist theories
(6) The power-conflict and marxist theories
Teaching Methods : Lecture course and seminars (practical exercises). Attendance at all lectures ans seminars is required. Reading assignments. Study questions.
Evaluation methods
In-class written exam. 15-pages take-home essay (seminar-practical exercises)
Other information
Complementary readings: presentation, analysis and discussion of selected texts: E Burgess, CR Shaw, HD Mc Kay, E Sutherland, T Sellin, E Durkheim, R.K. Merton, HS. Becker, E Goffman, H. Garfinkel
Teaching materials
  • Sudhir Venkatesh, "Dans la peau d'un chef de gang", éd. L'école des loisirs.
Faculty or entity
ECRI


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Master [120] in Criminology

Master [120] in Sociology