Hate Crime

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 7
  
• Convenor: Joanna Perry
• Assessment: a 4000-word essay (100%)

'Hate crime' is a relatively new concept that has been introduced to UK law, and criminal justice policy and practice. It has had a significant impact on UK criminal law, investigation and prosecution practices, campaigning strategies, and has been a significant focus of the academy.

Despite the attention and energy hate crime has received, there is very little that is robustly defined at the international level, and often even within jurisdictions. Different groups are singled out for its protection, different crimes are punishable and criminal justice agencies vary in their application of policies of investigation and prosecution. In addition, there is very little information about the size and nature of the problem and its prevalence.

This course aims to critically engage with the following questions: what is hate crime? Why has it emerged as a major category of criminal law and criminal justice policy in the UK and internationally?

What is the role of civil society, the legislature, public authorities, and scholarship in its construction? And finally, what are its conceptual limitations as both a 'problem' of and 'solution' for violence?