Students

LAWS1010 – Introduction to Law and Social Justice

2023 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Ben Hightower
ben.hightower@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

In this unit we explore the relationship between law, human rights and social justice and consider the role of both state and non-state actors including the government, corporations, civil society organisations and social movements. We examine Australia's place in the international law system and discuss law, rights and institutions in relation to socio-political, economic, social and cultural issues including questions of free speech, gender, the rights of refugees, self-determination and Indigenous rights. Working both individually and in groups, we will evaluate key challenges for fostering social justice in society and the role played by the law.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Define and describe Australia's role in the international law system.
  • ULO2: Describe the historical development of human rights instruments, in the context of contemporary civil and political, social, economic and cultural rights.
  • ULO3: Describe and critique the role of both state and non-state actors in fostering social justice within society.
  • ULO4: Develop socio-legal analysis of key issues in human rights and social justice including Indigenous rights, self-determination, gender, free speech and refugee rights.
  • ULO5: Assess established theoretical frameworks about current responses to human rights claims, and communicate law and/or policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Class Participation 20% No Ongoing / Weekly
Reflective Tasks 40% No Ongoing + final reflection due 11:55, 03/11/2022 (Week 13)
Major Essay 40% No 11:55, 13/10/2023 (Week 10)

Class Participation

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Ongoing / Weekly
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will be assessed on their contributions to tutorial discussions, debates and other activities.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and critique the role of both state and non-state actors in fostering social justice within society.
  • Develop socio-legal analysis of key issues in human rights and social justice including Indigenous rights, self-determination, gender, free speech and refugee rights.
  • Assess established theoretical frameworks about current responses to human rights claims, and communicate law and/or policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.

Reflective Tasks

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Ongoing + final reflection due 11:55, 03/11/2022 (Week 13)
Weighting: 40%

 

A number of reflective writing tasks to assist students to consolidate their learning

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Define and describe Australia's role in the international law system.
  • Describe the historical development of human rights instruments, in the context of contemporary civil and political, social, economic and cultural rights.
  • Describe and critique the role of both state and non-state actors in fostering social justice within society.
  • Develop socio-legal analysis of key issues in human rights and social justice including Indigenous rights, self-determination, gender, free speech and refugee rights.
  • Assess established theoretical frameworks about current responses to human rights claims, and communicate law and/or policy critiques effectively in written and verbal form.

Major Essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 11:55, 13/10/2023 (Week 10)
Weighting: 40%

 

This task requires students to undertake independent research on an issue of law, human rights and social justice and complete a written essay.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Define and describe Australia's role in the international law system.
  • Describe the historical development of human rights instruments, in the context of contemporary civil and political, social, economic and cultural rights.
  • Describe and critique the role of both state and non-state actors in fostering social justice within society.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Lectures for this unit are delivered either live and/or pre-recorded and will be uploaded weekly. Consult iLearn for delivery mode for lectures. Lectures will be presented in combination with other learning resources including readings, web content, e-learning modules and videos. Students are expected to listen and take notes on the lectures, complete weekly blogs and work their way through assigned content on a weekly basis.

One hour tutorials are scheduled weekly and will be delivered either face to face or online. Please check MQ timetables for the venue of tutorials.

There is no required text for this unit. Instead a selection of weekly required and recommended readings can be accessed via Leganto on iLearn.

Students require access to a computer and a secure and reliable server. 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook