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Curricular information is subject to change
On completion of the module students should:
a) have developed study, writing and communication skills appropriate to level 4.
b) have developed a critical understanding of the topic as part of broader changes in society through writing essays and participation in seminars.
c) be able to assess a range of historical and inter-disciplinary approaches within the discipline.
d) be able to handle historical sources, and to evaluate a range of primary sources and their potential use to historians appropriate to level 4.
This module analyses historic perspectives on concepts of ‘deviance’ and difference in relation to mental health, gender, sexuality, and race and ethnicity in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. How did medicine, law, criminology, and penology conceptualise individuals, ideas, and practices deemed errant or dangerous? What mechanisms of criticism, comment, control, and protest were developed? Which groups and individuals were most vulnerable and viewed with disquiet or distrust?
This module delves into the history of medicine, forensic psychiatry, gender, and criminal justice to explore these questions. We will investigate a range of topics including contagion, degeneracy, changing medico-legal practices and attitudes towards sex and health, infanticide, ‘criminal lunacy’ and ‘lunatic criminals’, kleptomania, discourses on homosexuality in medical and penal settings, and juvenile delinquency. Drawing on case studies from Ireland and the wider world, the module allows students to gain a critical understanding of the key theoretical, methodological and conceptual issues underlying the study of the definition and control of ‘deviance’ in the modern period.
Student Effort Type | Hours |
---|---|
Seminar (or Webinar) | 20 |
Project Supervision | 4 |
Specified Learning Activities | 90 |
Autonomous Student Learning | 90 |
Total | 204 |
Not applicable to this module.
Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Continuous Assessment: Students will be graded on a presentation, general contribution to seminar discussions and completion of tasks in advance of weekly sessions. Please see handbook for details. | Throughout the Trimester | n/a | Graded | No | 60 |
Project: A 3,500-4000 word essay using primary and secondary sources related to the topics covered in the module . Questions will be agreed with the module co-ordinator. | Coursework (End of Trimester) | n/a | Graded | No | 40 |
Resit In | Terminal Exam |
---|---|
Autumn | No |
• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities
Feedback on the mid-term presentation will be given in written and oral form on the returned hard-copy and by appointment in one-to-one meetings. Oral feedback on the presentation will be given by peers during activity.. Written and oral feedback will be provided on an ongoing basis on preparatory plans and primary and secondary source bibliographies for end-of-semester Research Project Assignments. Feedback on the end-of-semester Research Project Assignment will be given by appointment in one-to-one meetings. Ongoing oral feedback on participation during seminar discussion and any online discussion.