Real Housewives of Crime: Crime, Law, & Reality TV (FNDS 1607)
As a wise woman once said, “until mankind is peaceful enough not to have violence on the news, there’s no point in taking it out of shows that need it for entertainment value” (Cher, Clueless, 1995).
Or is there?
In this class we will ask and answer the following: what does reality TV teach us about crime, law, and justice? In doing so, we will explore issues of crime and law through the lens of reality television (including “true crime” shows and docuseries). Along the way, we will: analyze media constructions of crime, criminals, and the criminal justice system; examine the effects media has (and doesn’t have) on the way we think and act; and engage in “newsmaking criminology.”
Skills acquired in this course—in particular, the ability to evaluate media representations of crime, law, and justice, to synthesize content across disciplines, and to produce informative digital content for the public—will serve students on campus and in future careers.
This course covers topics in the disciplines of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Legal Sociology, and Media Studies.
Who should take this course?
This is a great class for people who love to hate reality TV, hate to love reality TV, or just love reality TV, plain and simple! It’s also a great course for students looking to turn their Netflix binge-watching into an academic pursuit.
More about this course
Course number: FNDS 1607
Number of Credits: 3
Search UM-Dearborn Class Schedule to find out more.
Dearborn Discovery Core requirements met: Critical and Creative Thinking; Social and Behavioral Analysis
Meet your faculty member: Katie Darcy, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice
One of the benefits of taking a Foundations course is gaining a faculty mentor that can support you throughout your college career. Get to know Katie Darcy, faculty member for Real Housewives of Crime: Crime, Law, & Reality TV.
Dr. Katie Darcy has been an assistant professors in Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Michigan - Dearborn since 2022. She is also a lawyer and a CASL pre-law advisor and enjoys talking to students about all things law-related and otherwise! She grew up in Michigan and has two rambunctious kids, and a high energy dog named Grizzly. She loves to travel, read, and of course, watch Bravo
Have questions about this course? Email Dr. Darcy at [email protected]