Instructor Insights
Below, Prof. Ariel White describes various aspects of how she taught 17.271 Mass Incarceration in the United States in fall 2020.
"Students always want to tie the topics they learn about in class back to current events."
Assessment
Grade Breakdown
The students’ grades were based on the following assessment elements:
- 30% Class participation / readings
- 45% Homework assignments (3 short papers x 15%)
- 25% Final presentation
Curriculum Information
Prerequisites
Prior study providing basic understanding of American political institutions (as would be gained from 17.20 Introduction to American Politics) is helpful, though not required.
Requirements Satisfied
- HASS-S
- 17.271 can be applied toward a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, but is not required.
Offered
The fall 2020 semester was the first time 17.271 was offered.
Student Information
Enrollment
21 students
Breakdown by Year
Undergraduates from a wide range of class years
Breakdown by Major
A wide range of majors
Typical Student Background
Some students were interested in working in public policy in the future; others had seen or participated in protests about policing and wanted to learn more about the criminal legal system, or had personal connections to people who had been arrested or incarcerated. A few had previously taken 21H.319 Race, Crime, and Citizenship in American Law.
How Student Time Was Spent
During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:
In Class
Met 2 times per week for 1.5 hours per session; 26 sessions total; mandatory attendance. [Note: All class sessions were conducted online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thursday sessions were live; Tuesday sessions were asynchronous, with prerecorded lecture videos followed by online discussion in message threads.]
Out of Class
Outside of class, students completed assigned readings and short papers and prepared a final presentation.
