Safety in the making

About this programme

A safe environment enables one the most fundamental individual needs – the need of an individual to feel safe (a safe home and a safe urban environment that allows free movement for all). Therefore the fear and risk of becoming a crime victim is a threat against such a basic human right. In this course, we look at the ways in which individuals' age, gender, ethnic background and identity interact with each other to create barriers and obstacles to safety. Just as certain individuals and groups in society are more vulnerable to crime than others, certain locations are to great extent crime targets than others. Specific physical and social environmental characteristics are identified and studied for these locations. We critically examine more than three decades of theories about crime and environments to build knowledge that leads to more informed actions for planning for safe and more sustainable environments. In this course we critically discuss current planning practices in Sweden, in particular in relation to the current societal security challenges we face and increasing demands from a safer and more sustainable society for all. See for instance, Kommuner mot brott - Regeringen.se The course deals with issues of crime and safety from an interdisciplinary perspective with a focus on situational perspectives tailored to students in urban planning, criminology and (landscape) architecture, geography, sociology as well as practitioners in municipalities, consultants, crime prevention organizations and the police.