One or more term courses will be offered from time to time as announced by the History Department. Topics will be dependent upon special research and/or instructional interests of faculty.

"Crime may be a constant in society, but what it means has not been. In this course, we will examine how society understood the nature of crime, authority, the law, justice, and itself through an examination of how crimes become entertainment. Although “true crime” as a literary genre has its origins in the Elizabethan period, during the Middle Ages such stories of famous criminals were circulated orally first, then in written ballads. As we explore these various true crime narratives from the thirteenth century to the present day, we will ask what topics most interested the authors and audiences and what those choices reveal about the contemporary societies. Doing so will enable us not only to better understand cultures of the past, but modern renditions of crime stories, be they in the news or on the silver screen."