HIS42580 Dangerous and Deviant

Academic Year 2022/2023

This module analyses historic perspectives on concepts of ‘deviance’ and difference in relation to gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and mental health 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, viewed with disquiet or distrust and framed as 'degenerate'?
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 juvenile delinquency, changing medico-legal practices and attitudes towards sex and health, infanticide, ‘criminal lunacy’ and discourses on homosexuality in medical and penal settings. Drawing on case studies from across the Western world including Ireland, 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.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

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.

Indicative Module Content:

The modules covers topics such as 'Defining ‘Dangerous' and 'Deviant’; The Juvenile ‘Delinquent’; 'Mental Disability: the ‘Weakminded’ and Mental Deficiency'; '‘Deviant Women’: Prostitution, Venereal Disease and Containment'; ‘Deviant Motherhood’ 'Migrant Bodies'; 'Criminal Lunacy'; Medical Racism and Violence; 'Medicine, Law and Sexual ‘Misconduct’'; and 'Excavating the Voices of the Marginalised'.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

20
Project Supervision

4
Specified Learning Activities

90
Autonomous Student Learning

90
Total

204
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a small-group, seminar-based module. It is taught through a two-hour weekly seminars. The weekly sessions provides an overview of the week’s topic, focusing upon key historical trends, debates and events and is focused upon individual active / task-based learning by means of group debate, discussion and student presentations. Advanced research, writing and citation skills are developed through a combined individual student presentations and a semester-long 4,000 word research project. Autonomous learning is advanced through student-led debate, discussion of set primary sources, submission of learning journals/online discussion forms, and / or student presentations each week. Please see module handbook for details. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
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
Journal: Students will be graded on participation. Please see handbook for details. Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

30
Presentation: Students give a short presentation on a topic related to the module. See handbook for details. Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

30

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• 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

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

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.