SOCI8020
White collar and corporate crime
Offer semester
Lecture time
Lecture venue
Credits awarded
2nd semester
Wednesday
19:00 - 21:50
CPD-LG.34
6
This course provides a comprehensive examination of white-collar and corporate crime, exploring both classic theoretical frameworks and contemporary perspectives. As students develop a deeper understanding of white-collar crime work, including analysing the historical development of the concept and distinguishing between white-collar, corporate, and occupational crimes; they will begin to see the limits of the Western sociological and criminological theory in providing practical solutions against abuses of power. White-collar crime, as a subdiscipline, is best understood as an academic exercise that explores the absurdities of Western social theories as we see come face-to-face with the devastating, anti-social outcomes of these theories.
We will look at legal and regulatory environments, the types of white-collar and corporate crime in an international perspective, and go through case studies and real-world applications that analyse high-profile international cases, while examining the motivations, methods, and consequences of corporate misconduct, and exploring the impact on victims, society, and the economy.
The course will employ a mix of lectures, class discussions, and case study analyses, and in the end we will look at possible prevention and control strategies while examining larger ethical considerations regarding corporate culture and business contexts. By the end of the course, students realise that Western sociological and criminological thought is limited in addressing abuses of power and explore, instead, how the pathway to a just and fair world may lie more in Eastern philosophy than Western philosophy.
Demonstrate Comprehensive Understanding of White-Collar Crime: Students will be able to define, classify, and critically analyse various forms of white-collar and corporate crime, drawing on both classic and contemporary theoretical frameworks in criminology, sociology, and law.
Apply Analytical Skills to Real-World Cases: Students will develop the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, analysing high-profile international cases of corporate misconduct to identify motivations, methods, and consequences, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of prevention and control strategies.
Develop Research and Critical Thinking Abilities: Students will enhance their research skills in the field of white-collar crime, demonstrating the ability to critically evaluate academic literature, construct evidence-based arguments, and analyse the ethical implications of corporate actions and decision-making processes.
Tasks
Weighting
Research Paper on Specific Aspect of White-Collar and Corporate Crime
35%
Case Study Analysis and Presentation
35%
High-Pressure In-Class Exercise
30%
Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1966). The social construction of reality : a treatise in the sociology of knowledge (1st ed.). Penguin.
Sutherland, E. H. (1940). White-Collar Criminality. American Sociological Review, 5(6), 1-.12
Coleman, J. W. (1987). Toward an Integrated Theory of White-Collar Crime. The American Journal of Sociology, 93(2), 406–439.
Kennedy. J. P. (2016). Employee theft. In Van Slyke, S. R., Benson, M. L., & Cullen, F. T. (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of White-Collar Crime (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.
Punch, M. (2009). Police corruption: deviance, accountability and reform in policing. Willan Publishing.
Reinhart, M. (2019). Fraud and Misconduct in Research: Detection, Investigation, and Organizational. American Journal of Sociology, 124(5), 1598–1600.
Pirrong, C. (2010). Energy Market Manipulation: Definition, Diagnosis, and Deterrence. Energy Law Journal, 31(1), 1-20.
Ermann, M. D., & Lundman, R. J. (2002). Corporate and governmental deviance : problems of organizational behavior in contemporary society (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Barnett, H. (1999). The land ethic and environmental crime. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 10(2), 161–191.
Payne, B. K. (2003). Crime in the home health care field: workplace violence, fraud, and abuse. Charles C Thomas.
Marx, K. (1848). The communist manifesto (F. Engels, Ed.). First Avenue Editions, a division of Lerner Publishing Group.
Ross, E. A. (1907). Sin and society : an analysis of latter-day iniquity. Houghton, Mifflin, 1907.
Bilimoria, D. (1995). Corporate Control, Crime, and Compensation: An Empirical Examination of Large Corporations. Human Relations, 48(8), 891–908.
Jesilow, P. D., Pontell, H. N., & Geis, G. (1985). Medical criminals: Physicians and white-collar offenses. Justice Quarterly, 2(2), 149–165.
Cooper, J. A. (2012). Noble cause corruption as a consequence of role conflict in the police organisation. Policing & Society, 22(2), 169–184.
Bartlett, T. (2019). The criminologist accused of cooking the books. Chronicle of Higher Education.
Raval, V., & Raval, V. (2019). Differentiating risk factors of Ponzi from non-Ponzi frauds. Journal of Financial Crime, 26(4), 993–1005.
Burns, R. G., & Orrick, L. (2002). Assessing newspaper coverage of corporate violence: the dance hall fire in Goteborg, Sweden. Critical Criminology, 11(2), 137-150.
United Nations. (2019). Stressing air pollution kills 7 million people annually, Secretary-General urges governments to build green economy, in message for World Environment Day.
Taylor, M. (2001). Fraud control central. Modern Healthcare, 31(19), 22-23.
Offer Semester | Lecture Day | Lecture Time | Venue | Credits awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2nd semester | Wednesday | 19:00 - 21:50 | CPD-LG.34 | 6 |
