Sociology and Criminology

The Death Penalty

Module code: L4091A
Level 6
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Workshop
Assessment modes: Essay

This module will incorporate sociological, criminological, socio-legal and cultural approaches in order to study the death penalty. 

You'll engage with a cultural perspective on the death penalty that emphasises the need to understand the symbolic meanings generated by punishment and how these relate to social change. The module will involve studying capital punishment in its historical and contemporary contexts.

Module learning outcomes

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the death penalty as a social and cultural issue
• Apply a cultural perspective to analysing issues related to the death penalty in different contexts
• Demonstrate an appreciation of the death penalty as a contentious and contested issue
• Demonstrate the ability to manage their own learning via completion of a 4000 word essay