Deconstructing homicide

This unit is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of homicide, including its nature, causes, legal and social implications, historical and contemporary trends, as well as theoretical perspectives and prevention strategies. During the course, you will explore how social inequality and discrimination impact homicide, demographic patterns and geographical distribution of homicide cases, and the role of media in shaping public perception. You will also learn about the investigation and prosecution of homicide cases. The unit is specifically designed for students interested in studying the phenomenon of homicide and its broader social and cultural contexts. By the end of the course, you will have gained an in-depth understanding of the complexity of homicide and will be able to critically analyse the various factors that contribute to this important social issue. Through a series of lectures, readings, case studies, and discussions, you will study the various dimensions of homicide, with a particular focus on how these dimensions interact and intersect in different contexts. Some of the key topics that will be covered in the unit include the typology of homicide offenders and victims, the role of individual and environmental factors in homicide, the forensic science of investigating homicide, and the impact of homicide on families and communities.