Gender and Crime

Catalog description

This interdisciplinary course examines crime and criminal justice as gendered phenomena. It explores how notions of masculinity and femininity shape and are shaped by criminalized practices, the operation of the criminal justice system, and our understandings of both. Focusing on gender does not mean focusing exclusively on women. Gender is a relational concept; both men and women are gendered. In this course we will consider the implications of feminist theorizing for a range of criminological concepts, approaches, and themes. Case studies from various social contexts (e.g. the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, etc.) will help students develop cultural sensitivity and a more complete understanding of our social world. Additionally, the course will develop students' ability to think critically about gender and crime from an intersectional standpoint. Historical and contemporary works by criminologists, anthropologists, sociologists, feminist theorists, and others will be reviewed. An auxiliary aim of this course is to develop students' capacity to read and write academic texts efficiently and effectively.