| Unit name | Colonialism, Sexual Offences and Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL20062 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Natasha Carver |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit considers the extent to which colonial constructions of racialised sexual identities remain relevant in legislation and prosecutions today. The unit explores colonial-era moral panics around inter-racial sex such as ‘Black Peril’ and ‘White Slavery’ alongside their silenced counterparts. Through analysis of colonial legislation, policy and prosecutions, we learn about which practices and which relationships were criminalised and consider what the regulation of sexual behaviour tells us about colonial epistemology. We then turn to present-day manifestations of the same harms and consider the legacies of colonialism and the ongoing coloniality in sexual crime narratives including for example campaigns against, and the criminalisation of, ‘Female Genital Mutilation’ and ‘Modern Day Slavery’.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
The unit will introduce you to postcolonial and decolonial theory, requiring you to apply theory to colonial-era texts as well as through critical discussion. You will also develop qualitative research skills relating to document analysis and thematic analysis (of law and policy).
An overview of content
This unit covers the work of key postcolonial and decolonial thinkers including Edward Said, Franz Fanon, Gayatri Chakrovorty Spivak, Sylvia Tamale, and Anibal Quijano. The unit focuses on British colonial understandings of ‘race’, sex and gender, and the legacies of this colonial knowledge in current day legislation, criminal prosecutions and global campaigns.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will gain in-depth knowledge of the key topics covered on the unit, providing foundations for future units and dissertation projects. You will furthermore have gained an ability to closely read and examine original texts, to represent ideas in your own words, and apply abstract concepts to diverse criminological issues. Students who take this unit frequently describe being deeply challenged about their world views and ontology.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered through a combination of sessions, including lectures, practical activities and seminars, alongside self-directed study.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Classroom activities will include a range of formative activities that support preparation for the summative assessment. We will be given opportunity to practice close reading and to have peer and tutor formative feedback on this and essay-writing skills during the weekly taught sessions. An up-to-date resources list and ‘additional materials’ folder will provide suggestions and links to further relevant and interesting resources to support learning and encourage independence in learning.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Close Reading (1000 words maximum, 30%)
This assessment will cover all intended learning outcomes
Essay (2000 words maximum, 70%)
This assessment will cover intended learning outcomes 1-3
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. This will comprise a task of the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL20062).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
