Theorising Punishment

Profs Mary Bosworth, Ian Loader and Lucia Zedner

This course examines key texts on punishment, each of which takes a different approach to the role, nature and effect of punishment.  Students who take full advantage of the opportunity offered by the course to read an entire text each week should emerge with a deep understanding of some significant works and a good grasp of their contribution to debates about punishment; an understanding of the ways in which these texts inform and inspire subsequent theorizing about punishment; and an appreciation for the nature and uses of social theory in general.   Most weeks, students will be expected to read a whole book and come to class ready to discuss it in detail.