Victimology

The course focuses on crime victims, their legal rights, their needs and how society meets these needs. The course takes its point of departure in international discussions surrounding the victims of crime which lead up to discussions based on national legal systems, mainly in Sweden. This includes comparative elements of international law (including EU law) and various national legal systems. The course offers a platform for discussing questions such as the concept of victimization, i.e. who is defined as a crime victim, what needs of support and protection victims are understood to have and how legal actors and other actors in society can offer assistance. The course also provides interdisciplinary knowledge about victimization from a behavioral and social perspective. Throughout the course specific problems in relation to victims on the basis of age, gender, class, ethnicity, sexuality and disability among others will be problematized. All aspects of this course, including the examination, are conducted in English.