HSTY 461 - Crime and Culture in Early America

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

This course explores the intersection of crime, punishment, and popular culture in colonial British America and the early United States through 1860 by closely examining a series of popular crime genres, including execution sermons, criminal conversion narratives, criminal autobiographies, and trial reports. Readings in modern scholarship--drawing on several disciplines--will shed light on the popular literature and on underlying patterns of crime and punishment, while students will critically evaluate modern scholarly interpretations in light of the early crime publications. Types of crimes explored in the readings include witchcraft, piracy, burglary, robbery, and various types of murder, such as infanticide, familicide (cases of men murdering their wives and children), and sexual homicide. Each student will write several short analytical papers drawn from the shared readings and, at the end of the semester, produce an independent research paper. Offered as HSTY 361 and HSTY 461. Prereq: Graduate standing or instructor permission.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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