Representations of “the Criminal”
In this course, students examined how representations of “the criminal” in literature and visual culture are constructed and circulated for a variety of purposes. We looked closely at the ways institutions (prisons, schools, hospitals), as well as disciplines (natural sciences, social sciences, humanities), shape definitions of “normalcy” and “deviancy.” The course began with the invention of the modern-day prison in the 19th century and concluded with representations of criminality in the digital age.
Throughout this course, students conducted visual and literary analyses of a variety of texts and completed historical research as they developed a more nuanced understanding of what it means to label, and be labeled as, a “criminal.” Through a series of case studies, students examined how depictions of crime have real-world consequences that impact the ways we interact with one another and the criminal justice system. Teaching students to analyze images of criminality they encounter is therefore not simply a scholarly activity, but a way for them to avoid the passive consumption of images in their daily lives and to become engaged individuals who strive for a more just society.
Descriptions of two class activities from an early version of this course can be found at the links below.
The most recent version of this course (Spring 2023) included four field trips to Yale museums and galleries, and it required students from a variety of professional majors to make direct connections between coursework and their future careers. In order to encourage more faculty to take advantage of field trip opportunities for their students, I created a faculty field trip guide and facilitated workshop presentations by educators from several Yale museums and galleries. I was honored to receive the William L. Bucknall Excellence in Teaching Award for this work. This award acknowledges faculty who take a student-centered approach and emphasize experiential learning, and it is given to one faculty member per year.