Causal models (21077)

Year: 2
Term: 3
Number of ECTS credits: 6

Syllabus

The key question of every science is whether the theories it puts forward are correct or not.

Criminology has many causal theories: for example, that the degree of modernisation and the presence of affluent democracy in certain circumstances leads to terrorism (Ross 1993), or that fear of punishment is the main reason why people do not commit crimes.

As well as coming up with theoretical arguments and counter-arguments to support this type of theory, we also have to compare them with real data, and this is precisely what the Causal models course deals with.

Causal models are a means of formulating theories in such a way that we are able to use real data to find out whether theories can be confirmed or have to be rejected.

This course covers the basic aspects of causal models and during the year students develop an analysis of a criminological model.

- Contents section 1.

Basic elements of causal models

 

- Contents section 2.

Using causal models in research