Unit information: Leisure, Pleasure and Harm in 2021/22

Unit name	Leisure, Pleasure and Harm
Unit code	SPOL30063
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Joanna Large
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will explore new developments in criminology which explore the relationship between leisure and consumption and harm. Drawing upon new theoretical frameworks such as 'deviant leisure' and critical criminological approaches which focus on harm, this unit will explore new fields of research. Through exploring a range of leisure activities, which are generally non-criminal, value-normative and culturally acceptable - even socially desirable - this unit will encourage students to critically analyse leisure, pleasure and consumption choices with reference to criminological and sociological analyses of harm, crime, culture and identity.

This unit aims to encourage students to critically analyse leisure and consumption choices in relation to understandings of harm. This will include students looking at issues such as how crime is constructed and how harm is embedded in legitimate and culturally acceptable activities within the context of global consumer capitalism.

Specifically the unit will examine:

• theoretical frameworks including 'deviant leisure', cultural criminology, ultra-realism, green criminology and zemiology
• research topics including fashion, beauty, tourism, alcohol, charity and gambling in relation to consumer capitalism, crime and harm

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

1. Synthesise and critically appraise relevant topics and areas of research in relation to key theoretical ideas.
2. Apply appropriate key concepts and theories to a specific topic.
3. Engage critically in scholarly discussion in relation to a specific topic and present appropriate academically rigorous arguments in a professional manner.

Teaching Information

This unit will draw on a blended learning approach. Students will engage with asynchronous taught content (including, for example, narrated slides and other teaching and research materials) and will be tasked to complete activities in preparation for synchronous sessions to present and discuss ideas and clarify learning.

Assessment Information

Part 1: Critical review (1000 words) (25%)

This assessment covers ILOs 1 and 2

Part 2: Presentation (8-10 mins) with annotated bibliography (1250 words) (75%)

This assessment covers ILOs 2 and 3

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL30063).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.