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Policing and the State examines key issues in contemporary policing from both and Irish and international perspective.
Throughout the module, we pay careful attention to the role of policing in, and its relationship to, the State: particularly democratic states. Policing and the State critically examines how modern ‘democratic’ police forces seek to build and maintain legitimacy for their use of coercive force over diverse and pluralistic populations.
The module also examines changes in the relationship between the political system and policing: particularly the decline in confidence in policing in many democratic states.
The first half of the module focuses on a variety policing scandals––such as police corruption, abuse of power, institutional racism, and collusion with terrorist paramilitary groups––and the cycles of reform that typically follow such scandals.
The second half of the module examines emerging issues of police legitimacy, police militarization, the role of policing in national security, and the privatization of policing.
Critical issues of race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic class––and how they relate to policing––are examined throughout the module.
This module is a stand-alone course of study.
Prior study of policing (such as the second year criminology module Policing LW269), criminology or criminal law is helpful, but not necessary.
International students are particularly welcome.
This module welcomes any student with an interest in exploring the nature and extent of police power with our society from a critical and rigorous perspective.
Some of the topics examined in Policing and the State include:
1. Police collusion in terrorism 2. Policing of political protest 3. Institutional racism in policing 4. Institutional sexism in policing 5. The treatment of police whistleblowers 6. Police-media relations 7. Policing gender-based violence 8. Privatization of policing 9. Policing and national security/counter terrorism 10. Policing migration 11. Police militarization and police warrior culture
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