AP/SOSC 4661 6.00

Surveillance And Crime

Crosslisted: AP/CRIM 4661

This course examines theory, practice and research on surveillance from a criminological perspective. It places particular emphasis on the role of surveillance in crime control and law enforcement as well as on the history of surveillance and current forms of surveillance. The human rights implications of surveillance are also examined in relation to class, gender, race and social control. Surveillance technologies alter social life in contemporary societies. They are used in such diverse areas as counter-terrorism, suppression of dissent, border security, and urban policing. The aim of the seminar course is to develop an understanding of what is at stake with some of the main theories, concepts and empirical fields within surveillance studies. Particular emphasis is placed on criminological implications of contemporary surveillance technologies. Some topics covered in this course include theories, histories, contexts and the ethics of surveillance, as well as different forms of surveillance (e.g. state and corporate, biometrics, Internet and big data) and how they relate to crime control. This course is designed to help students develop the analytical skills needed to think critically about surveillance from a criminological perspective. By the end of this course, students will understand and explain the key concepts, theories, and some of the main empirical developments that animate the study of surveillance and crime.