Admission requirements
Students who want to take this course need to be admitted to the Criminal Justice master’s program
Description
Over the past years, migration policy and criminal law have increasingly become merged. Whereas this trend has first been noted and labeled as crimmigration in the United States, it is visible across the globe. On the one hand immigration law violations are increasingly addressed as criminal offenses, on the other hand immigration law is also increasingly used as an instrument of crime control: rather than being rehabilitated and re-integrated in the country of residence, non-citizen criminals may lose their residence permits, in order to be excluded from the territory with the help of immigration law. Rising rates of immigration detention, an increase in the number of declared ‘undesirable aliens’ and recent proposals to criminalize illegal residence are some examples of the crimmigration-trend in the Netherlands. Strongly related to the crimmigration trend in Europe is the development of a political and public discourse in which immigrants are increasingly seen and addressed as ‘dangerous others’ if not as criminals. Although this ‘othering’ or framing of immigrants as a potential risky group dates back to the late nineties, the post 9/11 global war on terror and the rise of the security state seem to have intensified this negative stereotyping of immigrants.
Besides raising questions on the legitimacy of the use of criminal law (and criminal law-like) instruments to control migration, and immigration law instruments to control crime, this course aims to address questions on the extent, the process and rationale of crimmigration in Europe and the US. In doing so, this course will not only focus on abstract theoretical notions that have been claimed to explain the crimmigration trend, but also on the practical implications and (un)intended consequences of crimmigration on the various criminal justice processes and actors, specifically addressing the issues of ethnic profiling, selective law enforcement and the framing of immigration as a security issue.
Course objectives
Upon completing this course, students will be able to:
Describe and critically analyze the interplay between criminal law and immigration law in different national contexts, both in theory and in practice;
Identify and further explore a particular national or international subtheme related to crimmigration and its relation to the wider societal and historical context on the basis of the literature;
Collect primary and / or secondary data with respect to this topic in a country or region of choice;
Analyze the available data in a qualitative or quantitative manner;
Write an article in English synthesizing theoretical insights on crimmigration and concrete additional empirical data collected;
Reflect on the societal impact of the outcomes;
Orally present and defend the research findings in a conference setting and react on the findings of others.
Timetable
The timetable of this course can be found in uSis.
Mode of instruction
Seminars and Working Groups
There are course lectures / seminars and working groups (5 X 2 hours seminar and 5 X 2-4 hours working group each week).
In the interactive lectures or seminars articles will be discussed based on preparation by students.
In the working groups, students will work on their empirical research and present it to their peers.
Next to exploring relevant theories and literature, students will conduct empirical research including primary and secondary data collection with respect to either
(a) a chosen country or
(b) a subtheme such as police selectivity and ethnic profiling or criminalization.
Students can take up this task in groups of two or three, but they will write their paper individually.All sessions are obliged. If a student misses 1 or 2 sessions, an extra assignment follows. Absence with 3 or more sessions implies the student cannot complete the course successfully.
Assessment method
All students write an individual research paper based on their (group) research in combination with the mandatory course literature and at least two added books or articles (70 percent of the final grade)
Presentation together with participation in the working groups account for 30 percent of the final grade.
All components should be at least a 5.5 in order to complete the course successfully. All grades only hold for the present academic year.
Papers are submitted through Blackboard (with Safe assignment check) and a printed version is handed over to the course coordinator during the last first week after of the course.
Blackboard
More information on this course is offered in Blackboard.
Reading list
Literature:
Mandatory literature
The mandatory literate (articles and chapters will be provided through Blackboard.
The course outline will be provided through Blackboard
Recommended literature
- Bachman, R. and Schutt, R.K. (newest edition) Fundamentals of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Los Angeles: Sage
Contact information
Course co-ordinator: Prof dr J.P. van der Leun
Availability: Monday till Friday, through the secretariat
Telefoon: +31 71 5277462
E-mail: criminologie@law.leidenuniv.nl
Institution/division
Institute: Criminal Law and Criminology
Department: Criminology
Opening hours: 09.00 to 12.30
Telephone secretariat: 071 – 527 74 62
E-mail: criminologie@law.leidenuniv.nl
Contractonderwijs
Belangstellenden die deze cursus in het kader van contractonderwijs willen volgen (met tentamen), kunnen meer informatie vinden over kosten, inschrijving, voorwaarden, etc. op de website van Juridisch PAO