Criminology 4513 Ethnography & Crime fall 2024, MWF 12.30 --> 1.20 TBA  Weblog  Classlist

From the calendar: This seminar course will examine classical and contemporary ethnographic work in criminology and criminal justice. It will address qualitative research in general and how ethnographic research challenges common perceptions of crime, criminals and criminal behaviour. Prerequisite: A minimum of 75 credit hours, which includes CRIM 1013 and 1023, or permission of the instructor. Videolink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOBh8haj4E0 6mins  ethnogvideo

In addition to the above, ethnography is seen as a tool for discovery and a basis for emancipation. Think, for example, of the story of a victim which outlines how s/he was victimized and then ignored, or the offender who describes the abusive conditions within which s/he grew up and prepared them for the 'school to prison' pipeline, of the stories of the wrongfully convicted which document their struggles to attain their freedom despite overwhelming odds. We will look at traditional approaches to ethnography as 'accounts within context', and continue with current approaches which stress the more fluid character of modernity. The course uses a ‘hybrid’ format, described in the weblog. No class is usually just cancelled, but moved online.
Text: Ethnography At The Edge, edited by Jeff Ferrell, Mark S. Hamm, googlebooks. plus other readings as announced

Evaluated work:
1. Classmark incorporates attendance, participation, inclass reflections, homework, and online assignments (25%).
2. Proposal week six (20%), single-spaced 2-3 pages with refs, outlines the ethnography project, which can be an overview of research, a research-based inquiry into a particular issue, and/or an original ethnography exercise of your own. This can be done in singles, pairs, groups... and will be the basis for the final project. The proposal/project could be a review of a particular ethnographer's work (like Sudhir Venkatesh), or of a particular social issue using secondary sources (like the cargo cult), or a review of the research on a topic (like homelessness), or primary research (like interviewing friends on their university experience), or writing about an event (like the end of year burning of couches on college hill...
3. Project, due week fourteen (30%), based on the proposal and incorporated into the project, prepared as a powerpoint (or essay, video, blog)... and submitted electronically. Equivalent to an essay (7-10 pages double-spaced), must include references, theory, with 'concept' and/or materials, and visuals. The easiest thing is to write an essay and chunk it into subsections and put it into the notes section. Ten to fifteen (10-15) slides is a good size for a project.  This should be submitted by email, (or on jumpdrive), and will not usually be returned. Please keep a copy. Projects may be kept and used by instructor as anonymous demonstrations for future sections of course. 
4. Presentation: (25%). Given the small size, and the skill level of the course, a presentation to the class is deemed to be a better finale than an exam. 

Additionally:
The webpage at http://www.stu.ca/writingcentre is full of great resources for students, and appointments are available.
Limited AI use is permitted for research and writing, as long as it is acknowledged. Laptops to be used for note-taking only. Phones must be off during class.
Recording is not permitted, for privacy and copyright issues, as per S3 of the student academic misconduct policy.