Unit information: Leisure, Pleasure and Harm in 2018/19

Unit name	Leisure, Pleasure and Harm
Unit code	SPOL30063
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Joanna Large
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will explore new developments in criminology which explore the relationship between leisure and consumption and harm. Drawing upon new theoretical frameworks such as 'deviant leisure' and critical criminological approaches which focus on harm, this unit will explore new fields of research. Through exploring a range of leisure activities, which are generally non-criminal, value-normative and culturally acceptable - even socially desirable - this unit will encourage students to critically analyse leisure, pleasure and consumption choices with reference to criminological and sociological analyses of harm, crime, culture and identity.

This unit aims to encourage students to critically analyse leisure and consumption choices in relation to understandings of harm. This will include students looking at issues such as how crime is constructed and how harm is embedded in legitimate and culturally acceptable activities within the context of global consumer capitalism.

Specifically the unit will examine:

• theoretical frameworks including 'deviant leisure', cultural criminology, ultra-realism, green criminology and zemiology
• research topics including fashion, beauty, tourism, alcohol, charity and gambling in relation to consumer capitalism, crime and harm

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

• Synthesise and critically appraise relevant topics and areas of research in relation to key theoretical ideas.
• Apply appropriate key concepts and theories to a specific topic.
• Engage critically in scholarly discussion in relation to a specific topic and present appropriate academically rigorous arguments in a professional manner.
• Produce and critically discuss an academic poster.

Teaching Information

This unit will be delivered by a weekly two hour workshop. Teaching sessions will make use of experiential learning techniques and take place both inside and outside of the classroom. Students are expected to prepare for each workshop by completing any designated reading and/or activities set as part of the guided independent study.

Workshops (20 hours)

Assessment Information

The assessments have been developed in order to meet the intended learning outcomes of the unit.

Formative assessment is by:

• a group presentation critically reviewing a selected research paper

Summative assessment is by:

• an individual poster presentation and discussion (100%). Students will agree a topic with the tutor in advance and will be required to research the topic and make sense of it by applying key concepts and theory and participating in a conference style poster-presentation event. Students will be specifically assessed on the visual impact and quality of the poster; their ability to discuss their poster in an academically rigorous manner and their application of theoretical knowledge to the topic and in conjunction with the published marking criteria for Level 6 as stated in the programme handbook.

Reading and References

Essential

Smith, O & Raymen, T (2016) Deviant Leisure: A Criminological Perspective. Theoretical Criminology. ONLINE FIRST First Published August 11, 2016 https://doi.org/10.1177/1362480616660188

Atkinson, R (2014) Shades of Deviance: A Primer on Crime, Deviance and Social Harm. London: Routledge

Brisman, A and South, N (2014) Green Cultural Criminology. Constructions of Environmental Harm, Consumerism and Resistance to Ecocide. London: Routledge

Hall, S & Winlow, S (2015) Revitalizing Criminological Theory. Towards a New Ultra Realism. London: Routledge

Hayward, K & Smith, O (2017) Crime and Consumer Culture. IN A. Liebling; S. Maruna; L. McAra (eds). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 6th ed. Oxford: OUP

Winlow, S & Atkinson, R (2013) (eds) New Directions in Crime and Deviancy. London: Routledge