This module introduces key law and society concepts and theories. The module will introduce students to the jurisprudential underpinnings of socio-legal research, including the classical sociological thinkers that influenced the development of socio-legal research, sociological jurisprudence, American realism, structuralism and systems theory, critical perspectives, feminist legal theory and queer theory, the interpretive tradition, postmodernism and legal pluralism. Students will also be introduced to a range of key law and society texts, projects and writers, and encouraged to critically analyse socio-legal work.Topics include:
1) Introduction to Law and Society
2) The emergence of law and society (classical sociologists, sociological jurisprudence, American realism)
3) Structuralist approaches to law and society (structuralism, systems theory, consensus tradition)
4) Critical perspectives on law and society 1 (critical theory)
5) Critical perspectives on law and society 2 (ideology and legal consciousness)
6) Interpretive approaches to law and society (symbolic interactionism, ethnomethodology, conversation analysis)
7) Postmodernism and law (deconstruction, Foucault, governmentality)
8) Feminist Legal Theory
9) Queer Theory and Law
10) Legal pluralism and Globalisation
In each seminar, a range of interactive teaching methods will be used alongside tutor-led discussion, including student presentations and debates.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Describe, explain and compare various assumptions about the relationship between law and society and the origins of scholarship in law and society
Critically evaluate key theoretical perspectives in socio-legal research
Describe, explain and compare the relationship between theoretical perspectives and socio-legal research methods and approaches
Demonstrate a conceptual understanding that enables critical evaluation of current research in the law and society paradigm
