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PIR-40119 - Module Specification
School of Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 25 April 2024

PIR-40119 - Race and Justice: Civil Rights in the U.S.
Coordinator:
Lecture Time:
Level: Level 7
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None


Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

The American Civil Rights Movement is one of the most iconic protest movements for political and social equality in recent history. The fight for legal and social equality for black people in the United States greatly influenced further fights for equality in the United States for other racial or ethnic groups, women, and the disabled. It continues to influence protest movements throughout the world. But how successful was this movement? What was the impact of the historic legal victories it won in the fight for equality? What did the Civil Rights Movement do for people in the United States?
This module introduces students to the issues of equality and civil rights in the United States. It examines the social and political background of civil rights and the civil rights movement, mainly from the postwar period until today, focusing particularly upon the conflicts over segregation and racial equality. Students will review the relevant laws and court rulings involved in these issues and analyse the outcomes and impacts of court rulings and other government actions in protecting civil rights. The conflicts over segregation and racial equality provide the particular focus for the module.

Aims
This module examines the issues of civil rights and equality in order to evaluate the extent to which courts can effectively generate social change. It explores the advantages and limits of using the law to effect social change, using legal cases and case studies to examine the relationship between law and society in the context of civil rights in the United States.

Intended Learning Outcomes

1,2
1
2
1,2
1,2

Study hours

24 hours seminars
48 hours engagement with online resources in preparation for seminar
28 hours research and writing case study
50 hours research and writing essay

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

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: 25 April 2024