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From the exploits of Al Capone and John Dillinger to the trial of O.J. Simpson and to the politics of mass incarceration, the clash between police, criminals, and the law has never ceased to fascinate and horrify. This seminar will examine that fixation by investigating some notorious individuals and infamous events of the past century. The objective is to use both the myth and reality of crime as a lens through which to view racial, class, and gender issues in American political, social, and cultural history. The seminar is open to all students and assumes no substantial prior knowledge of modern American history, but emphasizes reading and discussion at an advanced level.