87591 - CRIMINALITA', GENERE E VIOLENZA

Learning outcomes

In this class students will acquire knowledges and will become familiar with the issues of the gender gap in female/male participation to crime and in the different forms of male and female victimization. They will understand and critically discuss both theoretical approaches to the gender gap and will learn to answer some of the most important questions of contemporary criminology, related to the difference in male and female involvement in crime (as authors and as victims) and to gender violence.

Course contents

This course offers insights in the analysis of criminal behavior in a gendered perspective, with a focus on the following main topics: women as victims, as offenders and as active and passive agents in the criminal justice system

Most classes will be dedicated to the theoretical and empirical analysis of women as victims of gender violence, while the rest of the course will focus on the understanding of female offending (particularly in mafia organizations and in gangs) and on how gender affects women’s involvement the criminal justice system, above all as prisoners and as police officers.

This course is divided in two modules: Module 1 (32 hours) includes all the main topics of the course (introduction to both female victimization and female offending; gender violence; women in gangs and organized crime). Module 1 (16 hourse) includes some specific insights on the following subjects: the criminal justice response to gender violence and the social construction of the “ideal victim”; women in prostitution and trafficking; female foreign fighters.

In detail, the following topics will be discussed:

1) Female victimization: gender-based violence

• The debate on gender violence: psychological, sociological and feminist perspectives in understanding gender violence
• Types of gender-based violence: homicide (femicide), sexual violence physical and psychological violence, stalking
• Empirical studies on female victimization
• Prevention and repression of gender-based violence. The limits of the criminal justice response

2) Female offending

• What is the gender gap in crime and how can we explain it
• Criminological theories and female offending
• Feminist criminology and gendered approaches to crime
• Patterns and evolution of female offending
• Contemporary patterns of female offending: women in gangs, in organized crime, and the so -called “foreign fighters”.

1. Women in the criminal justice system

• Women in prison
• Women in police

Readings/Bibliography

There are no Italian textbooks or comprehensive books on the subjects of this class. Therefore, the required readings are a collection of articles and books chapters that deal with the different topics separately, and that will be discussed in class.

For attending students, the mandatory readings are:

Creazzo G. (a cura di) (2013) Se le donne chiedono giustizia. Le risposte del sistema penale alle donne che subiscono violenza nelle relazioni di intimità: ricerca e prospettive internazionali", Il Mulino, Bologna - SOLO CAPITOLO IX di CROCITTI-ARCIDIACONO

Fadda M. L. (2012) “Differenza di genere e criminalità. Alcuni cenni in ordine a un approccio storico, sociologico e criminologico”, in Diritto Penale Contemporaneo, 29 settembre

Gribaudo M. (2010) “Donne di camorra e identità di genere”. In Donne di mafia, Meridiana, n. 67, pp. 145-154

Ingrascì O. (2007) Donne d’onore. Storie di mafia al femminile, Bruno Mondadori, Milano, pp.1-90

Lombardi L. (2016) “La violenza contro le donne, tra riproduzione e mutamento sociale”, in Autonomie locali e servizi sociali, 2, pp. 211-234

Nuñez Paz A. (2020) “La ‘donna delinquente’: un percorso storico-teorico”, in Diritto Penale Contemporaneo, pp. 1-27

Pitch T. (2002) “Le differenze di genere”, in M. Barbagli, U. Gatti (a cura di) La criminalità in Italia, Il Mulino, Bologna, pp. 171-183

Pecorella C. (a cura di) (2020) La criminalità femminile. Un'indagine empirica e interdisciplinare. Mimesis. CAPITOLI: Pecorella (da pag. 15 a 33), Cardinale (da pag.171 a181) e Binik (da pag. 245 a 263)

For non attending students, the mandatory readings are:Creazzo C. (a cura di) (2013) Se le donne chiedono giustizia. Le risposte del sistema penale alle donne che subiscono violenza nelle relazioni di intimità: ricerca e prospettive internazionali", Il Mulino, Bologna. CAPITOLI: I, II, III, VII, VIII e IX

Lombardi L. (2016) “La violenza contro le donne, tra riproduzione e mutamento sociale”, in Autonomie locali e servizi sociali, 2, pp. 211-234

Fabini G. (2017) “Donne e carcere: Quale genere di detenzione?”, in Torna il carcere, XIII Rapporto annuale della Associazione Antigone sulle condizioni di detenzione

Fadda M. L. (2012) “Differenza di genere e criminalità. Alcuni cenni in ordine a un approccio storico, sociologico e criminologico”, in Diritto Penale Contemporaneo, 29 settembre

Gribaudo M. (2010) “Donne di camorra e identità di genere”. In Donne di mafia, Meridiana, n. 67, pp. 145-154

Ingrascì O. (2007) Donne d’onore. Storie di mafia al femminile, Milano: Bruno Mondadori (testo intero)

Istat (2015) La violenza sulle donne dentro e fuori la famiglia. Rapporto di ricerca, pp. 0-17

Istat (2019) Gli stereotipi sui ruoli di genere e l’immagine sociale della violenza sessuale. Anno 2018. Rapporto di ricerca

Lombardi L. (2016) “La violenza contro le donne, tra riproduzione e mutamento sociale”, in Autonomie locali e servizi sociali, 2, pp. 211-234

Romito P. (1999) “Dalla padella alla brace. Donne maltrattate, violenza privata e complicità pubbliche”, in Polis, 2, pp. 235-254

Pecorella C. (a cura di) (2020) La criminalità femminile. Un'indagine empirica e interdisciplinare. Mimesis. CAPITOLI: Pecorella (da pag. 15 a 33), Cardinale (da pag. 171 a181) e Binik (da pag. 245 a 263)

Most of these readings will be available on the course web-site. A bibliography in English will be available for Erasmus students, under request.

Teaching methods

Lectures (in presence or on-line, according to the Covid 19 University policy), also with guest speakers; in-class discussions and small groups activities. This course is highly interactive: regular attendance and active participation in class are strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The students’ knowledge is assessed through a discussion, to evaluate the actual achievement of the learning outcomes. The oral exam consists in an interview with the appointed committee on the topics included in the programme. The assessment will take into account:the knowledge of the topics of the course, the ability to critically analyse theories and approaches to gender based violence,  as well as the clarity of the presentation and the use of an appropriate socio-criminological language.

For the grading, the following criteria will be applied:

- basic knowledge of a very limited number of topics, extensive support by the interviewer to address and answer the questions, basic yet appropriate language: 18-19/30;

- knowledge of a limited number of topics, ability to autonomously develop the answer, use of an appropriate language: 20-24/30;

- comprehensive knowledge of the programme, ability to autonomously and critically analyse theories and subjects covered in the course, use of the required specific terminology: 25-29/30;

- extensive knowledge of the programme, ability to reason autonomously and to analyse criminal theories, crime problems and criminal justice policies, to make connections among the topics, to master the specific terminology and capacity of critical thinking: 30-30L/30.

Teaching tools

Power-point presentations, audio-visual materials (films, documentaries)

Office hours

See the website of Rossella Selmini

See the website of Stefania Crocitti