The course examines criminality and theories of justice in Europe in the early modern and modern periods. We'll examine how Europeans defined crime, why criminality rates varied so much according to the place and the time period, and how rulers and ordinary people explained and dealt with deviance.

These questions provide insight into more fundamental aspects of the European experience. By examining how Europeans defined deviance, we should gain an understanding of what passed as normal. The nature of crime often provides information about prevailng social, economic, and cultural conditions. And finally, judgment and punishment reveal something about views of justice as well as the mechanics of power.