Law and Society (Online)
GENERAL PURPOSE
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to a broad overview of the
law from a sociological perspective. Topics include legal systems,
functions and dysfunctions of law, theoretical perspectives, law and social
control, law and social change, and the legal profession. We will be
covering criminal law, constitutional law, international law, administrative
law, and environmental law. The law of the sea will be used as an illustration
of international law and international environmental law.
SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of the term, each student who has successfully completed the course
will be able to:
1) identify and discuss current issues, debates, and findings in the field
of law and society
2) differentiate between legal and scientific thinking
3) understand the difference between justice and due process
4) critique methods which researchers use to study law
5) assess the various influences on the law, such as politics, economics,
norms, values, beliefs, and technology
6) explain the legal system and its functions
7) appreciate the complexity of criminal law, constitutional law,
environmental law, and international law
8) analyze the role of law in both continuity and social change
9) apply concepts from the course to contemporary issues in law and
society
10) compare domestic criminal law with international law
REQUIRED READINGS
Samaha, Joel. 2004. Criminal Law.
Eighth Edition. Wadsworth Publishing.
Online Lectures
Required texts can be purchased through the ULV Campus Bookstore.
Texts can also be ordered online (Amazon.com, etc.). Be sure to order early so that work can be turned in on
time.
COURSE SPECIFICS
Quizzes. There will be a
weekly quiz on the reading materials for each week. The quiz will usually
of a summary of the lecture for each unit, a summary of the chapter assigned
for each unit, and a brief of one of the cases in the chapter.
Exams. The final exam will
consist of two briefs of two cases being appealed.
Law and Society Application and Analysis Paper. The assignment involves finding five news
articles about law in The New York Times, The London Times, or The Irish
Times. For each article, write
one paragraph of summary of the article and one paragraph of analysis applying
concepts from your textbook or from lectures. It should be approximately
one page in length, typed, 12-point font, and single-spaced. Your
audience will be other students at ULV who have not taken this course, so you
will need briefly to define terms. For each entry, cite the
source.
Grading Criteria for Application and Analysis Paper::
1) Summary paragraph: An excellent paper will include a variety of laws
and legal issues. The summary should be complete, concise, and
well-written.
2) Analysis paragraph: An excellent paper will include a variety of
concepts and theories from the textbook or lectures and will correctly apply
them to the news issues or events. You may use concepts and theories not
yet covered in class by looking ahead in your textbook. This paragraph
also needs to be clear, concise, and well written.
Course Policy on Plagiarism.
All scholarly endeavors are based on one fundamental principle--the honesty and
integrity of those engaged in the search for truth. If a researcher
fabricates facts or intentionally distorts materials in interpreting data, a
great disservice has been done to his or her colleagues and to the academic
discipline in question. Truth and knowledge cannot be attained in an
atmosphere of dishonesty and distrust. As persons engaged in academic
work, I expect students to adhere to this ethic of honesty in writing papers
and taking exams. Copying the work of someone else or having someone else
write one's paper is such a gross violation of the integrity of academia that
its incidence could result in the failure of the entire course for the
student(s) involved. I trust that the above is an unnecessary warning.
The above schedule and procedures, and the course outline and reading list are
subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.
Course Grading Worksheet
Item
Possible
Points
Earned Points
Quiz
#1
20
_____
Quiz
#2
20
_____
Quiz
#3
20
_____
Quiz
#4
20
_____
Quiz
#5
20
_____
Quiz
#6
20
_____
Quiz
#7
20
_____
Quiz
#8
20
_____
Quiz
#9
20
_____
Quiz
#10
20
_____
Application and Analysis
Paper
50
_____
Final
Exam
50
_____
Total
300
_____
Grade Breakdown
A+ 98% and up
A 94-97%
A- 90-93 %
B+ 88-89 %
B 84-87 %
B- 80-83 %
C+ 78-79 %
C 74-77 %
C- 70-73 %
D+ 68-69 %
D 64-67 %
D- 60-63 %