Program Overview

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Programmes

The University of Hong Kong's Department of Sociology offers a range of programmes for students interested in pursuing a career in sociology.

Undergraduate Programmes

• Criminology Major/Minor
• Media & Cultural Studies Major/Minor
• Sociology Major/Minor

Taught Postgraduate Programmes

• MSocSc Criminology
• MSocSc Media, Culture & Creative Cities
• MSocSc Sociology

MPhil / PhD Sociology

The Department of Sociology also offers research-based MPhil and PhD programmes in sociology.

Research

The Department of Sociology is involved in various research projects and clusters, including:

• Research Projects
• Research Clusters
• Centre for Criminology
• Global Society and Sustainability Lab

Courses

The Department of Sociology offers a range of courses, including:

• SOCI8020: White collar and corporate crime

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive examination of white-collar and corporate crime, exploring both classic theoretical frameworks and contemporary perspectives.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate Comprehensive Understanding of White-Collar Crime: Students will be able to define, classify, and critically analyse various forms of white-collar and corporate crime, drawing on both classic and contemporary theoretical frameworks in criminology, sociology, and law.
2. Apply Analytical Skills to Real-World Cases: Students will develop the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, analysing high-profile international cases of corporate misconduct to identify motivations, methods, and consequences, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of prevention and control strategies.
3. Develop Research and Critical Thinking Abilities: Students will enhance their research skills in the field of white-collar crime, demonstrating the ability to critically evaluate academic literature, construct evidence-based arguments, and analyse the ethical implications of corporate actions and decision-making processes.

Assessment

• Research Paper on Specific Aspect of White-Collar and Corporate Crime: 35%
• Case Study Analysis and Presentation: 35%
• High-Pressure In-Class Exercise: 30%

Required Reading

1. Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1966). The social construction of reality : a treatise in the sociology of knowledge (1st ed.). Penguin.
2. Sutherland, E. H. (1940). White-Collar Criminality. American Sociological Review , (6), 1-12
3. Coleman, J. W. (1987). Toward an Integrated Theory of White-Collar Crime. The American Journal of Sociology , (2), 406–439.
4. Kennedy. J. P. (2016). Employee theft. In Van Slyke, S. R., Benson, M. L., & Cullen, F. T. (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of White-Collar Crime (1st ed.). Oxford University Press.
5. Punch, M. (2009). Police corruption: deviance, accountability and reform in policing. Willan Publishing.
6. Reinhart, M. (2019). Fraud and Misconduct in Research: Detection, Investigation, and Organizational. American Journal of Sociology , (5), 1598–1600.
7. Pirrong, C. (2010). Energy Market Manipulation: Definition, Diagnosis, and Deterrence. Energy Law Journal , (1), 1-20.
8. Ermann, M. D., & Lundman, R. J. (2002). Corporate and governmental deviance : problems of organizational behavior in contemporary society (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
9. Barnett, H. (1999). The land ethic and environmental crime. Criminal Justice Policy Review , (2), 161–191.
10. Payne, B. K. (2003). Crime in the home health care field: workplace violence, fraud, and abuse. Charles C Thomas.

Recommended Reading

1. Marx, K. (1848). The communist manifesto (F. Engels, Ed.). First Avenue Editions, a division of Lerner Publishing Group.
2. Ross, E. A. (1907). Sin and society : an analysis of latter-day iniquity. Houghton, Mifflin, 1907.
3. Bilimoria, D. (1995). Corporate Control, Crime, and Compensation: An Empirical Examination of Large Corporations. Human Relations , (8), 891–908.
4. Jesilow, P. D., Pontell, H. N., & Geis, G. (1985). Medical criminals: Physicians and white-collar offenses. Justice Quarterly , (2), 149–165.
5. Cooper, J. A. (2012). Noble cause corruption as a consequence of role conflict in the police organisation. Policing & Society, (2), 169–184.
6. Bartlett, T. (2019). The criminologist accused of cooking the books. Chronicle of Higher Education.
7. Raval, V., & Raval, V. (2019). Differentiating risk factors of Ponzi from non-Ponzi frauds. Journal of Financial Crime , (4), 993–1005.
8. Burns, R. G., & Orrick, L. (2002). Assessing newspaper coverage of corporate violence: the dance hall fire in Goteborg, Sweden. Critical Criminology , (2), 137-150.
9. United Nations. (2019). Stressing air pollution kills 7 million people annually, Secretary-General urges governments to build green economy, in message for World Environment Day.
10. Taylor, M. (2001). Fraud control central. Modern Healthcare, 31(19), 22-23.