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The Module:

Law in Action is a module that will introduce you to the reality of law in modern society and address such key issues as:

What is law for, how is it made and how is it studied?
Who are the key players in the legal system?
What is the role of the public in the justice system?
How can law address deeply divisive and complex issues in society?

Approach:

The module will explore important issues through landmark legal cases of ‘law in action’. These include legal disputes between individuals, between individuals and governments and sometimes even cases that involve non-human interests (ie, animals and the environment). The module approaches the study of law from an interdisciplinary perspective, and a key objective of the course is for you to acquire basic skills for studying law (locating, reading, outlining and analysing cases). More specifically, you will:

• Gain an understanding of a range of areas of law and legal study, including criminal law, jurisprudence, constitutional law, human rights and environmental and property law;
• Understand the role and significance of key-actors in the legal and judicial profession;
• Take part in actual legal decision-making exercises.

Teaching Delivery

This module is taught in 10 weekly seminars.

Indicative Topics

• What is Law?Ìý
• Courts, Judges and CasesÌý
• Law & MoralityÌý
• Trial by JuryÌý

Module aims and objectives

The course is designed so that students can:

• Acquire skills for studying law (locating, reading, outlining and analysing cases). This is a fundamental objective of the course, as successful passage of the course will enable BASc students to take (some) ÐÂÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹ûLaws courses in subsequent years and these are skills necessary to do so.
• Gain an understanding of a range of areas of law and legal study, including criminal law, jurisprudence, environmental law, propertyÌý law
• Understand the role and significance of key-actors in the legal and judicial professionÌý
• Take part in actual legal decision-making exercisesÌý

Recommended Reading

How the Law Works by Gary Slapper