The module examines key theories and trends in criminological thought, including the historical development of criminology and some of the more recent critiques. The themes of causation, criminalisation, correction and control run throughout the theoretical perspectives and are considered alongside some specific examples of criminal activity and organisation. Such examples range from the individually-experienced through the structural inequalities relevant to understanding gender, ethnicity and crime and include the global dimensions.

The module aims to enable students to:
(a) understand the construction and critique of criminology as a subject
(b) think critically about crime, deviance and social control
(c) gain a broad knowledge of the criminological literature
(d) critically analyse theories and examples of deviance and crime