True Crime: Forensic and Literary Perspectives

Catalog description

This course examines the intersection of forensic science and literary/media history in several major true crime case studies. How does true crime portray or misconceive forensic science? How does true crime distinguish itself from other kinds of crime-related genres? Why do certain cases garner attention, and what cultural crises do they address? Students will learn techniques utilized in crime laboratories and sometimes apply those techniques to older case studies. They will also become adept close readers of a variety of texts, such as podcasts, documentaries, non-fiction novels, and newspaper articles.