Issues of crime and justice have a long history in popular media. Yet, changes in the nature and technology of media have altered the ways in which crime is portrayed and challenge conventional wisdom and prior accounts of the crime-media relationship. In particular, the notion of "true crime" and the use of crime stories has become a staple part of the arsenal of 21st century media (i.e., TV 'infotainment,' podcasts, Netflix documentary-series). Serious study of the contemporary use of crime in popular media can tell us a lot about culture and society. Against this backdrop, the module has four inter-related themes. First, how has is crime used in popular media and how, if at all, has this changed over time? Second, how are crime stories selected for media presentation? What are the social and institutional processes that drive selection? What types of crime are deemed most suitable for re-telling in popular media? How is this related to the specific methods and modalities of different media platforms? Third, how do specific media platforms tell crime stories in unique ways that may shape how they are interpreted, understood, and ultimately experienced by audiences. Here, specific attention focuses on reality TV, podcasting, and the emergence of "docudrama" or "infotainment" programming (e.g., Netflix). Finally, how do crime stories reflect and reinforce social - cultural, political, and even economic - features of societies? In other words, how do crime stories in the new era of mass media influence how people and social groups think, feel, act, and interact with others in light of experiences with true crime mass media? In answering these questions, the module seeks a broad interrogation of how and why societies use crime in popular culture. Each week will select a particular crime story in a particular popular culture medium and do a deep dive into its content to highlight how that particular story highlights particular themes in culture and society.

Objectives: This module seeks a broad interrogation of how and why societies use true crime in popular culture. Changes in the nature and technology of media in particular have altered the ways in which crime is portrayed and challenge conventional wisdom and prior accounts of the crime-media relationship. Serious study of the contemporary use of crime in new popular media can tell us a lot about culture and society. Against this backdrop, the module has four inter-related themes. First, how has is crime used in popular media and how, if at all, has this changed over time? Second, how are crime stories selected for media presentation? Third, how do specific media platforms tell crime stories in unique ways that may shape how they are interpreted, understood, and ultimately experienced by audiences. Finally, how do crime stories reflect and reinforce social - cultural, political, and even economic - features of societies? Each week will select a particular crime story in a particular popular culture medium and do a deep dive into its content to highlight how that particular story highlights particular themes in culture and society.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: - Demonstrate a clear understanding of sociological discussion about the role and significance of the mass media particularly in relation to issues of crime and justice  - Demonstrate familiarity with the key concepts and frameworks used by social scientists in their attempts to understand the complexities of the mass media portrayals of crime - Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of the production, content and reception model of media analysis and how this shapes how crime stories are told and how crime stories are/can be read - Demonstrate insight into the diversity of approaches and methodological tools that social scientists use to study the use of crime stories in popular media

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: - Demonstrate an appreciation of the role of crime stories in mass media in one's everyday life and how this influences how people understand the world and their place in it - Demonstrate an appreciation of how status and power in society and social institutions shape how stories are told, how they are read and how this reinforces or challenges status differences and hierarchies in societies

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: N/A

The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and tutorial. Independent and group work involving analysis of popular media is a core element of the module.