Key Issues in Law and Society Research (P01985)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : SPS-P-P01985

Law and Society research explores the role of legal practices is social, political and economic relationships, as well as examining how these relationships impact on legal practices. This course is designed as an introduction to the key theoretical, empirical and methodological issues in the field. In particular the course explores the key debates in Law and Society research by examining the relationship between a variety of theoretical approaches, methodological techniques and their practical implications. The implications of these issues are also addressed through an exploration of how they are played out in key substantive debates. Topics covered include the following: the nature of law and the legal process, the relationship between legal and social science approaches to legal phenomena, the location of legal processes, the relationship between normative and empirical theory, understanding law in social contexts, the limits of analytical comparison, and quantitative methods. Substantive issues addressed include: human rights, asylum, the impact of research on public policy, family structures, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and access to justice. This is by its nature an interdisciplinary exercise and the course is intended for students with a background in Law and/or Social Science. The course will provide a conceptual and methodological foundation for students who wish to carry out further research in the area of Law and Society, as well as being designed for students who are not intending to carry out research.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Postgraduate (School of Social and Political Studies), (School of Social and Political Studies, Schedule J)

Other subject areas

Law, (School of Law, Schedule F)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

-An advanced understanding of social science approaches to research into legal process, and their distinctiveness in relation to more narrowly legal approaches.
-An advanced understanding of the nature and implications of legal practices for wider social, political and cultural processes.
-An advanced understanding of the different methodological techniques and their impl