KRIM2957 – Surveillance: Data, technologies, practices
Course description
Course content
Surveillance is an ever-expanding practice that criminologists need to be equipped to address and assess. The course explores the many dimensions of surveillance in the management of populations, including crime control. It will walk students through key surveillance theories, moving from classic models to more recent understandings that take into account new surveillance technologies, as well as practices of resistance to surveillance.
Core themes include
the relation between the surveillant and the surveilled,
different forms of surveillance in many contexts, as well as the actors and tools involved,
surveillance as crime control and how it influences police work,
the societal effects and the politics of surveillance.
Each session will combine theoretical concepts and relevant empirical case studies of surveillance practices. The course syllabus contains readings from criminology, critical security studies, media studies, as well as science and technology studies.
Learning outcome
Knowledge, the course builds a solid knowledge base on different approaches to surveillance:
How have surveillance theories and politics changed in recent years?
Which kind of data, technologies and practices have emerged, and what are their effects on society at large?
What kind of understanding of crime does surveillance imply?
What are the limits of surveillance and what forms of resistance are possible?
Skills, at the end of the course, students will:
be able to place key (surveillance) theories in historical context and discuss theoretical concepts vis-à-vis current affairs,
acquire the know-how to evaluate the latest developments in surveillance in terms of their ethical, political, societal and legal implications,
assess the tendencies of future developments in this fast-moving field,
think creatively about case studies on surveillance, suggest and develop relevant example research questions and projects.
Competences, at the end of the course, students will:?
be able to use relevant theoretical knowledge and vocabulary to assess different criminological phenomena,
deepen their knowledge of analytical tools, which will help them to study phenomena critically and develop their own standpoints on security practices. Tools and insights can also be transferred to other key areas studied in criminology.
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with KRIM4957 – Surveillance: Data, technologies, practices.
Teaching
Lectures.
Examination
Students are graded on the basis of a 4 hours digital school exam.?
The candidates will take the exam on a PC and the submission is digital in Inspera Read about School exams in Inspera.
Location during the exam and candidate number will be published in Studentweb about a week before the examination.
Examination support material
You may bring up to two copies of a general (non-legal) spelling dictionary, regardless of language. These should not have annotations/notes in them.?
No other examination support material is allowed.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English. You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.