About the course
This innovative new programme combines teaching, research and practical experiences that are linked by four ideas – Culture, Criminology, Creativity, and Community.
Graduates will display intellectual confidence and flexibility in several different academic disciplines.
Though incarceration is often associated with imprisonment in jail or prison, the word has a host of contexts including historical slavery, pandemic lockdowns, wartime camps, modern-day trafficking and even situations of domestic abuse. On this programme, you'll explore incarceration in a range of forms in the UK, US and other situations globally, far beyond the traditional prison context.
This course combines traditional seminar-style classes with unique environments outside of the classroom, whether working with ex-prisoners locally or organising an academic conference on campus. One of the key modules takes place in its entirety at HMP Hull, whereby university students will learn together with prison learners.
Students on the MA in Incarceration Studies will be affiliated with the Cultures of Incarceration Centre at the University of Hull, which provides opportunities to attend talks, present at seminars, and network.
What you'll study
All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.
-
Competing and Comparative Justice: Values and Ethics in the Criminal Justice Process
This module introduces the complexity of ethical problems that arise in the criminal justice arena, challenging preconceptions of what is “right” and “wrong” in a range of situations in the UK and abroad. You will critically analyse some of the key debates about values underpinning law-making and criminal justice.
-
UK & US Prison Cultures; Redemption and Resistance
This module will analyse a range of cultural responses to the prison experience, from film to poetry to music, to understand and explain the US and UK prison systems as well as US/UK history and society more widely. The module will include guest speakers who have first-hand experience of living/working in US or UK prisons, and who can speak to the module’s interest in prison cultural texts.
-
Writing from Life; Creative Non-Fiction
On this module, students will be introduced to a wide range of non-fiction prose, including travel writing, true crime, narrative history and biography. You will produce a portfolio of non-fiction and reflective writings related to 'incarceration'. You'll also expand your writing's horizons by taking part in and leading off-campus workshops with community groups.
-
Incarceration Culture in Context: Research Methods and Theory in Interdisciplinary Studies
On this module, you will examine and scrutinise a broad range of texts that address incarceration. This may include poetry by African political prisoners, Orange is the New Black (TV), artwork from Guantanamo Bay, Caribbean memorials to slave rebellions, Native American captivity stories, modern slavery documentaries and photography documenting Northern Ireland.
-
Dissertation (Culture, Criminology, Creativity, and Community)
You will make an original contribution to research by designing, carrying out and writing up a project on a topic of your choice, supported by your dissertation supervisor. The topic must relate to the broad theme of incarceration and demonstrate the MA’s four key ideas - Culture, Criminology, Creativity, and Community. The dissertation will be 15,000 words.