Gender and Law is a module about diverse and contemporary gender issues, studied within a legal and socio-legal framework but with an interdisciplinary twist. Gender is a socially constructed concept about what it means to be male and female. The purpose of this module is to examine, both theoretically and empirically, the relationship between gender and law. For example, to what extent are gender-based assumptions embedded within the law? How do gender essentialisms impact on perceptions of crime, perpetrators and victims? The first part of the module will be conceptual and theoretical. It will examine, inter alia, feminist legal theory, masculinities and the law, socio-legal perspectives on gender, the concept of gender essentialism and heteronormativity. The second part of the module will explore the operationalization of gender and the law in practice. Specifically, it will cover four broad themes, namely 1. Gender and the Courts, 2. Gender-Based Violence, 3. Gender, Law and Family and 4. Gender, Armed Conflict and International Law.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Demonstrate a detailed and comprehensive understanding of core theories and concepts
Exhibit an ability to utilize those theories and concepts to discuss and analyse the topics covered
Develop arguments that synthesize diverse viewpoints on individual topics, drawing on a range of interdisciplinary literature and relevant legal materials
Reflect critically on the relationship between gender and law and demonstrate awareness of relevant social, economic, historical and political contexts, including through case study analysis