Sociology 260 - Punishment,Politics,and Culture

Institution:

Bard College

Subject:

Description:

Human Rights, Political Studies Other than war, punishment is the most dramatic manifestation of state power. Whom a society punishes and how it punishes are key political questions as well as indicators of its character. This course considers connections between punishment and politics in the contemporary United States. Among the questions discussed are: Does punishment express our noblest aspirations for justice or our basest desires for vengeance? Can it ever be an adequate expression of, or response to, the pain of the victims of crime? When is it appropriate to forgive rather than punish? These questions are considered in the context of arguments about the right way to deal with drug offenders, sexual predators, and terrorists. The treatment of punishment in constitutional law, e.g., the prohibition of double jeopardy and of cruel and unusual punishment, is also examined.

Credits:

4.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.bard.edu

Phone Number:

(845) 758-6822

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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