Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice

This module aims to critically theorise concepts of race, ethnicity, identity and justice. Systems of race inequality cannot be properly understood, analysed or addressed without taking into consideration specific histories of the ways in which issues of, race, colonialism, gender, class, disability and more inflect race analysis. This module therefore centres the nexus of race, ethnicity and justice through a critical intersectional lens. The module explores the social and cultural complexities of racialised inequality and injustice across disciplines and borders. The module emphasises the need for students to encounter a constellation of key concepts and to become familiar with the critical academic analysis of racism, racialisation and injustice. Students will be invited to examine criminological research in different locations, periods and make connections with current political movements related to for example, #blacklivesmatter and related contemporary conflicts over racial inequality, racial hierarchy and social justice. Together, we will examine both sociological/criminological theories of the racialized state and situate race and ethnicity within social, political and economic processes, in particular within modern forms of crime control.

Students will gain an overview of various approaches to 'race' including exploring how differences (beyond race) such as hybridity and diaspora are negotiated. The purpose of the module is to provide a theoretical underpinning into understanding concepts of race, ethnicity and criminal justice processes.

By the end of the module you should have a good understanding of the concepts of race, ethnicity and gender, and of their interconnections in relation to different aspects of inequality and justice/injustice.