Topics: Institutional Racism, Othering, Exclusion, Bureaucratic dissonance, Moral Conflict, Empathy, Organisational Socialization., Policing Culture, Artistic Interventions
Disciplines: Sociology, Law, Anthropology, Policing Studies, Art
Skills: (Artistic) Researching, Analysing, Generating Solutions, Project-based working, Collaborating, Oral communication, Written communication, Presenting, Societal awareness, Reflecting, Independent learning, Resilience
Type: Honours Class: This course combines theory and practice to learn how to tackle a complex issue.
Admission requirements
This course is an (extracurricular) Master Honours Class aimed at talented Master’s students. Admission will be based on academic background, GPA and motivation.
This course is not open to students enrolled in the Master Law & Society
Attendance is 100% required and the class will only be taught in person.
Description
This course delves into the critical issues of race, law, and policing, focusing on the institutionalized racism and discrimination embedded within these structures. Through a blend of scholarly research and artistic interpretation, students will engage deeply with the challenges and dynamics of racial disparities in law enforcement and legal systems. This course is tailored for students interested in critically examining and addressing the complexities of racial dynamics within law enforcement and the broader legal system, encouraging a thoughtful, impactful approach to advocacy and reform. Furthermore, this course will contribute to the development of a broad range of academic and transferable skills.
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you will:
Develop a nuanced understanding of the role of race in the legal and policing frameworks, both historically and currently.
Critically analyze how art influences and can alter the discourse surrounding race and policing.
Compare and contrast global legal systems to identify (in)effective strategies against racial discrimination in policing.
Employ intersectional approaches to tackle complex discrimination issues effectively in law enforcement contexts.
Learn how to apply artistic research methods to socio-legal problems and questions.
Programme and timetable
The program will look as follows (might be subject to change!)
Week 1: Introduction to Race, Law, and Policing
Session 1: Active Discussion Lecture
Topic: Historical Context and Foundations of Institutionalized Racism
o Overview of race and law in historical context
o Key events and policies that shaped institutionalized racism
o Comparative perspectives from the Global North and Global South
Session 2: Artistic WorkshopTopic: Visualizing Historical Narratives
o Introduction to the final project: A comprehensive multimedia installation
o Initial brainstorming and planning session
o Creating visual representations of key historical moments in race and law
Week 2: The Legal Framework and Racial Disparities
Session 1: Active Discussion Lecture
Topic: Legal Systems and Institutionalized Racism
o Examination of laws and legal systems that perpetuate racial disparities
o Case studies from different regions
o Role of international human rights law
Session 2: Artistic WorkshopTopic: Collage of Legal Narratives
o Developing sections of the multimedia installation focusing on legal cases and racial disparities
o Using collage techniques to represent the impact of legal systems on racial minorities
o Integrating the visual representations from Week 1
Week 3: Policing and Racial Profiling
Session 1: Active Discussion Lecture
Topic: Racial Profiling and Law Enforcement Practices
o Understanding racial profiling and its effects
o Data and research on racial disparities in policing
o Personal narratives and testimonies
Session 2: Artistic WorkshopTopic: Storytelling through Performance Art
o Creating performance art pieces as part of the multimedia installation
o Developing short performance pieces that illustrate the experiences of racial profiling
o Recording or planning live performance elements for inclusion in the final project
Week 4: Resistance and Reform Movements
Session 1: Active Discussion Lecture
Topic: Social Movements and Advocacy
o Historical and contemporary movements for racial justice
o Strategies for advocacy and reform
o Case studies of successful resistance efforts
Session 2: Artistic WorkshopTopic: Murals and Public Art
o Designing and creating mural sections for the multimedia installation
o Focusing on resistance and reform movements
o Integrating performance art elements from Week 3
Week 5: Intersectionality and Global Perspectives
Session 1: Active Discussion Lecture
Topic: Intersectionality in Law and Policing
o Examining the intersections of race, gender, class, and other identities
o Comparative analysis of different countries’ approaches to intersectional issues
o Challenges and opportunities in global contexts
Session 2: Artistic WorkshopTopic: Mixed Media Art on Intersectionality
o Creating mixed media sections for the multimedia installation that reflect intersectional experiences
o Incorporating diverse materials and techniques to express complex identities
o Combining mural and mixed media art into a cohesive part of the final project
Week 6: Future Directions and Transformative Justice
Session 1: Active Discussion Lecture
Topic: Envisioning Transformative Justice
o Concepts of transformative and restorative justice
o Future directions for law and policing reforms
o Role of education and community engagement in fostering change
Session 2: Artistic WorkshopTopic: Vision Boards for Justice
o Crafting vision boards that depict aspirations for future justice and equity
o Finalizing the multimedia installation with all elements created in previous weeks
o Reflecting on personal and collective roles in achieving transformative justice
Week 7: Course Wrap-Up
Session 1: Active Discussion Session
o Review and reflection on the course content
o Final discussions on personal insights and action plans
Session 2: Final public Exhibition and presentation of the multimedia installation
o Students share their contributions and discuss the overall theme and message of the installation
Location
Kamerlingh Onnes Building
Reading list (excerpt)
Examples of resources that could be part of the final syllabus for the course:
Articles and chapters:
1. "Policing the Crisis: Mugging, the State, and Law and Order" by Stuart Hall et al.
2. "Race, Crime, and Policing in the United Kingdom: A Comprehensive Overview" by Michael Rowe
3. "The Roots of Racial Profiling in Brazil" by Ignacio Cano
4. "Race and Policing in South Africa: A Historical Perspective" by Monique Marks
5. "Institutionalized Racism in French Policing" by Didier Fassin
6. "Race and Racism in International Relations: Confronting the Global Colour Line" by Alexander Anievas, Nivi Manchanda, and Robbie Shilliam (Chapter: 'Race and Racism in Policing and Criminal Justice')
7. "The Color of Justice: Race, Ethnicity, and Crime in Britain" by Ben Bowling, Coretta Phillips, Alexandra Campbell, and Maria Docking (Chapter: 'The Courts: A Quest for Justice During Racial Injustice')
8. "Policing the Black Man: Arrest, Prosecution, and Imprisonment" edited by Angela J. Davis (Chapter: 'The Prosecution of Black Men' by Paul Butler)
9. "Race and Policing in Canada: Lessons for the Commonwealth" by Akwasi Owusu-Bempah and Scot Wortley (Chapter: 'Policing Black Communities in Canada')
10. "Policing Maori: The Power of Stereotypes" by Whetu Cormick
Podcasts
1. "Code Switch" by NPR
o Episode: "A Decade of Watching Black People Die"
2. "The Guilty Feminist"
o Episode: "Racial Bias in Policing"
3. "The Big Interview" by Al Jazeera
o Episode: "Racial Discrimination in Law Enforcement"
4. "Talking Race" by BBC
o Episode: "Race and Law in the UK"
5. "The Red Nation Podcast"
o Focuses on Indigenous issues in the US, including episodes on police violence and systemic discrimination against Native Americans.
6. "Latino USA" by NPR
o Episode: "The Policing of Latino Communities"
7. "Al Jazeera's The Stream"
o Episode: "Policing Muslim Communities"
Artistic Works (films & documentaries)
1. "La Haine" (Film) directed by Mathieu Kassovitz
o A French film that examines the tension between young people from the banlieues and the police.
2. "Injustice" (Documentary) directed by Ken Fero
o Focuses on deaths in police custody in the UK, highlighting cases of institutionalized racism.
3. "City of God" (Film) directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund
o A Brazilian film that portrays the lives of young people in Rio de Janeiro's favelas and their interactions with law enforcement.
4. "The Act of Killing" (Documentary) directed by Joshua Oppenheimer
o Centered on Indonesia, it explores themes of state violence and impunity, relevant to discussions of institutionalized racism and policing.
5. "Rabbit-Proof Fence" (Film) directed by Phillip Noyce
o An Australian film that tells the true story of three Aboriginal girls who escape a government internment camp.
6. "Dheepan" (Film) directed by Jacques Audiard
o A French film about a Tamil refugee who becomes a caretaker in a violent neighborhood and faces racial discrimination.
7. "The Unseen" (Documentary) directed by Sheena M. Joyce
o Explores the lives of the Roma in Europe, focusing on issues of discrimination and police violence.
8. "Once Were Warriors" (Film) directed by Lee Tamahori
o A New Zealand film depicting the struggles of a Maori family with issues of violence and systemic racism.
Artistic Works (Other)
Painting: "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso
Installation: "Remembering" by Ai Weiwei
Poetry: "Home" by Warsan Shire
Painting: "The Migration Series" by Jacob Lawrence
Painting: "Frida Kahlo" by Frida Kahlo
Poetry: "An Atlas of the Difficult World" by Adrienne Rich
Sculpture: "Mother and Child Divided" by Damien Hirst
Poetry: "The White Man's Burden" by Rudyard Kipling and the response "The Brown Man's Burden" by Henry Labouchère
Mural: "The Wall of Respect" by various artists from the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC)
Installation: "Chalk Circle" by Alfredo Jaar
Poetry: "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou
Course load and teaching method
This course is worth 10 ECTS, which means the total course load equals 280 hours.
Discussion seminars: 7 seminars of 3 hours (participation is mandatory)
Workshops: 7 workshops of 3 hours (participation is mandatory)
Literature reading: 4 hours/week
Practical work for the workshops: 3 hours/week
Excursion: 1 excursion of 4.5 hours
Final Exhibition: 1 exhibition of 4.5 hours
Writing of reflection essays, working on final installation and preparing for final presentation: 40 /total hours spread out over the 7 weeks
Assessment methods
The assessment methods will look as follows:
Weekly reflection papers that together form the final portfolio that will be assessed.
A comprehensive final artistic project that aims to influence discourse or policy on race in law and policing.
Students could only pass this course after successful completion of all partial exams.
The assessment methods will be further explained in the first session of the class.
Brightspace and uSis
Brightspace will be used in this course. Upon admission students will be enrolled in Brightspace by the teaching administration.
Please note: students are not required to register through uSis for the Master Honours Classes. Your registration will be done centrally.
Registration process
Submitting an application for this course is possible from Monday, 3 February until and including Sunday, 23 February 2025 through the link on the Honours Academy student website.
Note: students don’t have to register for the Master Honours Classes in uSis. The registration is done centrally before the start of the class.
Contact
Prof. dr. mr. Maartje van der Woude (Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance & Society – Leiden Law School) m.a.h.vanderwoude@law.leidenuniv.nl