Really Cold Cases: Exploring America’s Most Notorious Unsolved Crimes, 1850-1950 (HIS2340.01) (cancelled 9/18/2023)

Eileen Scully

Using films, documentaries, podcasts, historical newspapers, and other tools, we will explore America’s most notorious unsolved cases from the mid-nineteenth century to about 1950. Focusing on specific cases will illuminate larger contexts, including changing understandings of “criminality,” modern policing methods, incarceration policies, the development of forensic science, and America’s continuing fascination with “true crime.”


Learning Outcomes:
-Gain familiarity with high-profile and lesser-known criminal cases in America from 1850-1940
-Understand how these cases illuminate the complex mix of political, social, and cultural changes over time
-Conduct interdisciplinary research
-Communicate clearly in both written work and during oral presentations
-Translate research into creative forms, such as fact-based narratives, podcasts, and videos


Delivery Method: Hybrid
Course Level: 2000-level
Credits: 4
M/Th 3:40PM - 5:30PM (Full-term)
Maximum Enrollment: 20
Course Frequency: Every 2-3 years

Categories: 2000 , All courses , Cancelled Courses , Four Credit , History , Hybrid , Updates
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