University of Sydney Handbooks - 2019 Archive

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Socio-Legal Studies Descriptions

Socio-Legal Studies

Major

A major in Socio-Legal Studies requires 48 credit points from this table including
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level units
(ii) 6 credit points of 2000-level core unit
(iii) 6 credit points of 2000-level selective units
(iv) 6 credit points of 3000-level core units
(v) 12 credit points of 3000-level selective units
(vi) 6 credit points of 3000-level Interdisciplinary Project units

Minor

A minor in Socio-Legal Studies requires 36 credit points from this table including:
(i) 12 credit points of 1000-level units
(ii) 6 credit points of 2000-level core unit
(iii) 6 credit points of 2000-level selective units
(iv) 12 credit points of 3000-level units

1000 level units of study

SLSS1001 Introduction to Socio-Legal Studies

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2x1hr lectures/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Assessment: 1x300wd short writing task (10%), 1x200wd online quiz (5%), 1x2000wd report (35%), 1x2hr exam (40%), Tutorial participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit provides students with an introduction to the understanding of legal ideas, institutions and practices in their social and historical contexts. It will provide an historical overview of legal institutions and forms of law in Australia, the place of the idea of the rule of law in state-formation, liberalism, processes of civilisation and colonialism, law and the public/private distinction, changing conceptions of human rights, as well as outlining the central features of the various fields of law.
SLSS1003 Law and Contemporary Society

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2x1hr lectures/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Assessment: Tutorial participation (10%), 1x500wd short essay (10%), 1x2000wd essay (40%), 1x2hr exam (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit provides an understanding of the central themes and issues in social scientific analyses of the operation of law in society. After briefly outlining the various ways in which social life is organised in terms of law, the unit will examine a range of key concerns in the development of legal ideas, institutions and processes today, including the increasing legal regulation of private life, law and science, human rights, the globalisation of law, terrorism, risk and security, law and social inequality and citizenship.

2000 level units of study

Core
SLSS2606 Socio-Legal Theory

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-Legal Studies Prohibitions: SCLG2615 Assessment: 1x 1500wd Case Study Essay (30%), 1x 2500wd Research Essay (50%), 1x 500wd Equivalent Presentation (10%), Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This core unit explores theoretical approaches to studying socio-legal dynamics in a globalised society. It examines key theoretical debates drawing on classical theorists (Weber, Durkheim, Marx), more recent social theorists (Habermas, Foucault, Bourdieu) and critical notes from gender, queer, race, postcolonial, and science studies.
Selective
SLSS2604 Indigenous Social and Legal Justice

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture/week, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-legal Studies Assessment: 1000wd workbook (30%) and 500wd equivalent in-class presentation (10%) and 3000wd research essay (50%) and tutorial participation/attendance (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit will provide students with an appreciation of issues facing Indigenous peoples in the struggle for social and legal justice, focusing on the idea of Indigenous justice in Australia in the context of other comparable nations, such as the United States, Canada and New Zealand. We will compare specific examples or models of law and policy recognising Indigenous social and legal justice in specific areas, such as child protection, criminal justice, and land rights, in Australia and overseas.
CRIM2601 Studying Crime and Criminology

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Criminology or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-Legal Studies or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Sociology Assessment: 1x 1000wd Reflective essay (20%), 1x 1500wd Research essay (30%), 1x 2000wd Take home exercise (40%), Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit explores definitions of crime, criminological theories of crime causation, and core concepts and research methods in criminology. It examines key features of criminal justice institutions and crime justice policy, and addresses contemporary debates about crime in relation to topics such as gender, race, ethnicity, and youth offending.
CRIM2602 Crime, Punishment and Society

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 2x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week. Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Criminology or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Social Policy or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-legal Studies or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Sociology Prohibitions: SCLG2634 or SCLG2566 Assessment: 1x 1000wd Reflective Essay (20%), 1x 2000wd Research Essay (40%), 1x 1500wd Take Home Exercise (30%), x Tutorial Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit explores key features of criminal justice processes and practices, with a critical examination of policing, sentencing, punishment and prison in their historical, social, political and cultural contexts. It considers a range of related concepts and issues, including the expansion of punishment in society and post-release life.
SCLG2623 Sociology of Terror

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive July,Semester 2,Summer Main Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Sociology or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-Legal Studies or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Criminology Assessment: 1x1500wd Essay (30%), 1x3000wd Essay (60%), Tutorial participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit examines the relationship between terrorism and globalisation. Explores themes of massacre, ethnic cleansing, and terrorism in the context of social uncertainty and crises in nation states. Examines the production of victims and the process of cultural symbolisation of the body and the new social and political imaginaries emerging. Examines the uses of victimhood in trying to escape terror and achieve reconciliation. Draws on the work of Scarry, Kristeva, Appadurai, Nordstrom, Foucault, Zulaika and Taussig.
SCLG2638 Sociology of the Other

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Sociology Prohibitions: SCLG2604 or SCLG2635 or SCLG3606 Assessment: 1x1000wd Reflective essay (20%), 1x1500wd Research essay (30%), 1x2000wd Take home exercise (40%), Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit explores ideas of 'otherness' via concepts of exclusion, marginalised, inequality and discrimination. It examines structural and institutional sources of those processes, and considers policy, political and legal solutions to minority rights and recognition of difference in areas like gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity and disability.
SCPL2601 Australian Social Policy

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 1000 level in Sociology or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Social Policy or 12 credit points at 1000 level in Socio-legal Studies Prohibitions: SCPL3001 Assessment: 1x1500wd Essay (35%) , 1x2000wd Take-home exercise (45%), 1x450wd equivalent participation in on-line discussions (10%), Tutorial participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
In this unit of study Australian social policy is explored: the legal and administrative framework; relationships between family and the state; employment, unemployment, unpaid work and welfare; the public/private mix; aged care policies, the culture of welfare state provision, indigenous policies, migration, multiculturalism and the formulation and delivery of social welfare services in Australia.

3000 level units of study

Core
SLSS3601 Doing Socio-Legal Research

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x1hr lecture/week, 1x1hr qualitative workshop/week,1x1hr quantitative computer lab/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Socio-legal Studies Prohibitions: SLSS2601 Assessment: 500wd quiz (20%) and 2x250wd data analysis exercise (2x10%) and 2x1500wd research report (2x30%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit will develop an understanding of social science research methods as they apply to quantitative and qualitative socio-legal studies. The unit will consider the epistemological, ontological and theoretical aspects of qualitative and quantitative research design and methodology and provide an overview of the main research methods applicable in both qualitative and quantitative socio-legal studies. Students will learn about the different stages involved in the development of both qualitative and quantitative socio-legal research projects.
Selective
SLSS3602 Human Rights, Laws and Social Protest

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Socio-Legal Studies or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Criminology Prohibitions: SCLG2624 Assessment: 1x 1500 Minor Essay (30%), 1x 3000 Major Essay (60%), 1x Participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Global human rights and the idea of 'one humanity' became politically possible with the end of the Cold War. This unit explores the production of the human rights system as the top down process of legalisation, institutionalisation and intervention and the bottom up process victim claim-making, collective mobilisation and transnational advocacy.
SLSS3603 Social Justice, Law and Society

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Socio-Legal Studies or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Social Policy Prohibitions: SCLG2605 or SCLG2017 or SCLG2536 Assessment: 1x1000wd short answer questions (30%), 1x1000wd equiv presentation (15%), 1x2500wd research paper (55%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit explores different theoretical perspectives on social justice relating to income and wealth distribution, identity, social recognition, law and rights. It applies these to contemporary examples, including income and wealth disparities, race and gender inequality, disability rights, the environment and treatment of non-human animals.
CRIM3601 Medico-Legal and Forensic Criminology

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Criminology or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Socio-legal Studies Prohibitions: SLSS2603 Assessment: 1x 1000wd equivalent Presentation (20%), 1x 2000wd Research Essay (50%), 1x 1500wd Take Home Exercise (30%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit of study examines the relationship between crime, law, medicine and science. It focuses on criminal detection practices, death investigation systems, the coroner's office, autopsies and socio-legal management of the dead body, human tissue and organ controversies, and the role of medicine, science and psychology in criminal justice.
CRIM3602 Crime, Media and Culture

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Criminology or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Socio-legal Studies Prohibitions: SLSS2605 Assessment: 1x 1000wd equivalent Presentation (20%), 1x 2000wd Research essay (50%), 1x 1500wd Take home exercise (30%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit examines criminological approaches that explore intersections between criminal justice, law, media forms and cultural dynamics, including in the areas of moral panics, media trials, crime fear, cultural criminology, popular culture, serial killing, female criminality, surveillance, policing protest, organised crime, and terrorism.

Interdisciplinary Project unit of study

SLSS3998 Industry and Community Project

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive December,Intensive February,Intensive January,Intensive July,Semester 1,Semester 2 Prerequisites: Interdisciplinary Impact in any major Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit is designed for third year students to undertake a project that allows them to work with one of the University's industry and community partners. Students will work in teams on a real-world problem provided by the partner. This experience will allow students to apply their academic skills and disciplinary knowledge to a real-world issue in an authentic and meaningful way.
SLSS3999 Interdisciplinary Impact

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Prerequisites: 12 credit points at 2000 level in Socio-legal Studies Prohibitions: Interdisciplinary Impact in another major Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
Interdisciplinarity is a key skill in fostering agility in life and work. This unit provides learning experiences that build students' skills, knowledge and understanding of the application of their disciplinary background to interdisciplinary contexts. In this unit, students will work in teams and develop interdisciplinarity skills through problem-based learning projects responding to 'real world problems'.

Honours

Honours in Socio-Legal Studies requires 48 of credit points from this table including:
(i) 12 credit points of 4000-level Honours seminar units
(ii) 36 credit points of 4000-level Honours thesis units

Honours seminar units of study

SLSS4101 Theory and Method in Socio-Legal Studies

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Assessment: 1x 2000wd Critical commentary (20%), 1x 1000wd equivalent Presentation (30%), 1x 3000wd Journal (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit provides theoretical and conceptual insights into socio-legal research, so students can reflect critically on their own research processes via the analysis of substantive topics, including policing, legal secrecy, surveillance, critical discourse analysis of race, sex and gender, and matters of indigenous law.
SLSS4102 Advanced Social Science Methodology

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr seminar/week Assessment: 1x 500wd Ethics paper (10%), 1x 2500wd Critical essay (40%), 1x 3000wd Comparative essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) day
This unit examines a range of sociological research methods, including their historical and political locations and logics, with a view to providing students with a strong methodological framework to situate their own research practices, and to produce greater reflexivity about social research and writing in sociology.

Honours thesis units of study

SLSS4103 Socio-Legal Studies Honours Thesis 1

Credit points: 12 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 6x1hr supervision meeting/semester Mode of delivery: Supervision
This unit provides students the opportunity to begin developing their own research project working closely with their supervisors and engaging in activities that will facilitate the timely completion of their research. Activities may include drafting a literature and methods review, submitting an ethics application, and the scoping for fieldwork.
SLSS4104 Socio-Legal Studies Honours Thesis 2

Credit points: 24 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 6x1hr supervision meeting/semester Assessment: 1x 18000-20000wd Thesis (100%) Mode of delivery: Supervision
Working closely with supervisors, students produce an original piece of written socio-legal research, which may include the analysis of data gathered from fieldwork that is applied to relevant literature/s, or the writing of a thesis using secondary sources, which are analysed to produce an original contribution to knowledge.

Advanced coursework

The requirements for advanced coursework in Socio-Legal Studies are described in the degree resolutions for the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies.
24-36 credit points of advanced study will be included in the table for 2020.