SV-436 Crime control and punishment in the Nordic countries (Autumn 2025)
- ECTS Credits:
- 5
- Responsible department:
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Course Leader:
- Kristian Mjåland
- Lecture Semester:
- Autumn
- Teaching language:
- English
- Duration:
- ½ year
Table of contents
The course is connected to the following study programs
- Child Welfare, 5 year Master's Programme
- Master's Programme in Social Work
- Master's Programme in Sociology
Teaching language
English
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, students are expected to
- be familiar with comparative research on crime trends and approaches to crime control and punishment
- be familiar with the literature on ‘Nordic exceptionalism’ and the discussions it has provoked
- be able to critically discuss descriptions of, and explanations for, key trends in crime control and punishment practices in the Nordic countries
Contents
The course will explore strategies of crime control and punishment in the Nordic countries, with a particular emphasis on:
- key trends in crime and crime control measures over time,
- comparative perspectives on punishment
- key explanations for the supposedly ‘exceptional’ punishment policies and practices in the Nordic countries,
- the main criticisms of current penal practices
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures. Expected workload is about 135 hours.
Examinations
4 hours individual school exam. Graded on a scale, A-F.
Student evaluation
As a 5-credit course, we will only have a final evaluation using a standard questionnaire.
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem)
Oct. 15, 2026 1:54:37 PM