LAW-40052 - Socio-legal studies: applications and themes
Coordinator: Fabienne Emmerich Tel: +44 1782 7 33139
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 7
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2022/23

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2022/23

This module will introduce students to a range of approaches in law and society research. These can be grouped into interdisciplinary approaches, such as Law and Ethics, Regulation Studies and Legal History, as well as methodological approaches, such as Fieldwork in Law, Archives and Documents, and Researching Elites. The module will also introduce students to a number of themes that are central to law and society research, such as law in action, resistance (e.g. political imprisonment) legal research and activism (e.g. penal abolitionism). The module will provide a space for collegial support for students as they are crafting their own socio-legal project for their dissertation, and will support them in planning and presenting their work to fellow students.

Aims
To enable students to critically engage with variety of law and society approaches, that include interdisciplinary approaches, such as (indicatively) Legal history, Law and Ethics, and Regulation studies and methodological approaches, such as (indicatively) Fieldwork in Law, Archives and Documents, Researching Elites.
To introduce students to a number of themes that are central to law and society research, namely law in action, performativity (e.g. judicial performance), resistance (e.g. political imprisonment) legal research and activism (e.g. penal abolitionism). These themes are left purposefully broad so that we can draw on current research interests of colleagues. This will give the sessions an added cutting edge and dynamism.
To raise awareness about research ethics and research governance in socio-legal studies.
To accompany students in further crafting and revising their own socio-legal project, and support them in planning and presenting their work to fellow students.

Intended Learning Outcomes

be familiar with a range of selected interdisciplinary fields and methodological approaches that inform socio-legal studies; will be achieved by assessments: 1 and 2
be familiar with certain themes that have been part of the canon of socio-legal studies; will be achieved by assessments: 1
assess and be able to engage critically with authors' description of their own methods and approaches within socio-legal scholarship; will be achieved by assessments: 1 and 2
assess and think critically about the dividens and challenges of different disciplinary approaches to socio-legal studies. Reflect critically about the strengths and risks of socio-legal approaches; will be achieved by assessments: 1
understand the importance of the research ethics dimensions of socio-legal projects, and develop a sensitivity of the research ethics dimensions of their own research; will be achieved by assessments: 1 and 2
discuss, elaborate on and critically examine a number of specific pieces of scholarship to draw broader conclusions on the nature of socio-legal studies as a field; will be achieved by assessments: 1
think critically whilst expressing ideas in a clear language addressing specialist and non-specialist audiences; will be achieved by assessments: 1 and 2
display understanding of scholarly arguments and display the ability to think independently about scholarly arguments; will be achieved by assessments: 1 and 2
synthesise findings into a logical argument that explicitly addresses the assignment question, and defend the argument against foreseeable criticism. will be achieved by assessments: 1

Study hours

Interactive lectures: 22
Essay consultation: 2
Background reading: 50
Assignment research and writing: 76

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Essay weighted 85%
Essay 4,000 words
Students will choose one from a selection of essay questions that are based on the themes (law in action, resistance etc). One question will give students the option to identify their own theme. They will devise the essay question in conjunction with the module leader. The questions typically require students to demonstrate a critical understanding of the dividends offered and challenges posed by selected socio-legal approaches.

2: Book Review weighted 15%
Critical book review 1,000 words
Students will be required to review one of a selected list of monographs. Alternatively, they can suggest a monograph that needs to be signed off by the module leader. The task will be to critically analyse the particular socio-legal approach taken by the author.