KRIM4965 ¨C Social Harm and Criminalization

Course content

The criminalization of certain acts is typically justified on the basis that they are harmful. A cursory glance at any society, however, reveals that many harms are not criminalized, especially when they implicate actors and institutions in positions of power. What, then, is the relationship between criminalization and harm? Why are some harms criminalized and others tolerated? What about the harms caused by economic and political structures, including the very process of criminalization itself? This course will explore these questions by drawing on insights from the fields of zemiology (the study of social harm), criminology, sociology of law, philosophy, history and political science. Thanks to this multidisciplinary approach, students will gain a nuanced understanding of the dynamic relationship between social harm and criminalization and how it intersects with broader power structures.

The course starts with an overview of the main theories of social harm and situates them within wider traditions of philosophical and criminological thought. The course then dives into key empirical areas in the study of social harm and how they can be analyzed using social harm perspectives and other relevant theoretical approaches.

Core themes include:

• The relationship between harm, power and criminalization,
• Philosophical understandings of harm,
• Social harms associated with capitalism, colonialism, and consumerism,
• Gendered and racialized harms,
• Environmental degradation and animal harm.

Learning outcome

Knowledge, throughout this course, students will gain a nuanced understanding of social harm and how it can be used to critically examine their social realities. By the end of the course, students will have a solid grasp of the relationship between harm and criminalization and how that relationship is shaped by local and global power dynamics. They will also gain new insights on the following questions:

• What are the major theories of social harm?
• Does the concept of social harm help us better understand pressing social issues?
• Can social harm perspectives be used to challenge certain institutions, practices and societal structures?
• Why are certain harms criminalized and others tolerated or justified?

Skills, at the end of the course, students will

• Learn to link theories of social harm to concrete empirical contexts,
• Learn to engage with a wide range of theoretical perspectives relevant to the study of social harm,
• Learn to develop their own understanding of social harm.

Competences, at the end of the course, students will

• Improve their ability to critically reflect on the effects of social harm in their societies,
• Improve their ability to work and think across disciplinary boundaries.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with KRIM2965 ¨C Social Harm and Criminalization.

Teaching

Lectures taught in English.

Examination

Students are graded on the basis of a 4 hours digital school exam.?

The candidates will take the exam on a PC and the submission is digital in Inspera?Read about School exams in Inspera.

Location during the exam and candidate number will be published in Studentweb about a week before the examination.

Examination support material

You may bring up to two copies of a general (non-legal) spelling dictionary, regardless of language. These should not have annotations/notes in them.?

No other examination support material is allowed.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English. You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.