Module SOC2124 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
SOC2124: Surveillance, Security and the State
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
The aim of this module is to introduce students to new developments in criminological practices (strategic and technological) as well as applying new methods for adapting research to this evolving environment. The module will enable students to learn about the socio-legal landscape of criminological practices with a focus on the implications of new technologies for human rights.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Engage in understanding contemporary human rights controversies in criminology 2. Understand and apply appropriate theories and concepts to an analysis of human rights within criminological practices |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Demonstrate an understanding of human rights implications of new practices and technologies in policing and security 4. Demonstrate an understanding of the legislative and framework for the use of new technologies in policing and security 5. Apply and evaluate a range of methods to analyse new criminological practices |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. Demonstrate collaborative skills, in presentations and group discussions of course materials 7. Critically evaluate own work and the work of others 8. Present a clear and effective argument, in oral and written form 9. Work independently, within a set time frame, to complete an analytical task |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay plan (students will submit plan of summative essay) | 500 words | 1,2,3,4,7,9 | Written and oral (peer review with guidance) |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blog post (web page) | 30 | 1000 words | 1-9 | Oral |
| Essay | 70 | 3000 words | 1-5,7-9 | Written |
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog post (web page) | Blog post (web page) 30% 1000 words | 1-9 | August/September Reassessment Period |
| Essay | Essay 70% 3000 words | 1-5,7-9 | August/September Reassessment Period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Green, P. J., & Ward, T. (2000). State crime, human rights, and the limits of criminology. Social Justice, 27(1 (79), 101-115.
Lubbers, E. (2012). Secret Manoeuvres in the Dark. London: Pluto Press.
Lubbers, E. (2015). Undercover Research: Corporate and police spying on activists. An introduction to activist intelligence as a new field of surveillance. Surveillance & Society, 13(3/4), 338-353.
Marx, G. T. (1988). Undercover: police surveillance in America. Univ of California Press.
Marx, G. T. (2016). Windows into the soul: Surveillance and society in an age of high technology. University of Chicago Press.
Powell, A., Stratton, G., & Cameron, R. (2018). Digital criminology: Crime and justice in digital society. Routledge.
Smith, G. J., Bennett Moses, L., & Chan, J. (2017). The challenges of doing criminology in the big data era: Towards a digital and data-driven approach. The British journal of criminology, 57(2), 259-274.
Woodman, C. (2018). Spycops in context: A brief history of political policing in Britain. Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.
