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LAW-20054 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2022/23 Last Updated: 14 February 2023

LAW-20054 - Introduction to Law and Society: Theory and Practice
Coordinator: Fabienne Emmerich Tel: +44 1782 7 33139
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
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


Are you fascinated by law beyond the written text? Do you want to explore the various ways law operates in society and they ways we are governed by law? This module explores different ways we can understand what law is and how it functions. It provides you with a foundational understanding in socio-legal studies with a focus on three schools of legal theory: Legal Realism, Feminist Legal Studies and Postcolonialism and the Law.
You will have the opportunity to apply the different theoretical approaches to contemporary issues, such as the women of Yarls Wood Detention Centre, Windrush and Grenfell Tower.

Aims
The module aims to provide students with foundational knowledge and understanding in socio-legal studies, both theory and its application. It does this with a focus on three schools of critical legal theory: Legal Realism, Feminist Legal Studies and Postcolonialism and the Law.
Students will have the opportunity to apply the different theoretical approaches to contemporary issues, such as the women of Yarls Wood Detention Centre, Windrush and Grenfell Tower.
The aim is to expose students to different critical approaches to understanding the nature and function of law. It complements other Level 5 modules such as Law in Action. Furthermore it provides a foundation for Level 6 Jurisprudence and Gender Sexuality and the Law. Moreover it gives students a sound footing who intend to take a socio-legal approach to their dissertation.
Ultimately the aim is to encourage students to become critical legal thinkers.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/law-20054/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

evaluate different theories relating to legal, political, and social institutions and how they inter-relate: 1
apply different theoretical perspectives to specific case studies at the intersection of law and society: 1
analyse the relationship between law and society to produce independent and critical reflective comment on specific problems and to critically assess doctrinal and theoretical work on the inter-relationship between law and society: 1

Study hours

20 hours lectures
6 Hours tutorials
40 hours lecture/discussion preparation
84 hours essay and legal brief preparation and reading

Total = 150 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Commentary weighted 100%
2,500 Critical Commentary
Library-based critical commentary at Level 5 (Year 2). In the commentary students will critically engage with a judgment or journal article drawing on at least one particular theoretical approach to law covered in the module. Students will have a choice of questions.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 14 February 2023