PCE2070

Crime stories: criminology and crime fiction

(ART)

Colleen Lewis

6 points + 2 hours per week + First semester + Caulfield

Synopsis: Within popular culture, the crime fiction discourse has shadowed the development of criminology and has developed a co-dependent relationship with it: writers of crime fiction draw on popular and academic criminology for stories, philosophies and themes. On the other hand, criminological theorists often position themselves (often tacitly) in regard to the crime fiction and media which shapes experience of law and criminality. This unit explores the field of crime fiction as an alternative discourse of crime policy, a cultural criminology, with a particular emphasis on Australian crime stories.

Assessment: One essay (2000 words): 40% + Critical Review Project (1500 words): 30% + Examination (1 hour): 30%