Law and society
SOCI8003
LE7
19:00-21:50
Friday
1st semester
Lecture venue
Lecture time
Offer semester
This course examines the role of politics on law and society. How do political, legal, and sociological institutions interact domestically and internationally? What effect do these interactions have on criminal justice outcomes experienced personally, nationally, and globally?
To address these questions the course is divided into three sections. We begin with an introduction to the theories and debates surrounding law and society and equip ourselves to analyze how laws are created, interpreted, and enforced.
Over the following two sections, we turn to substantive issues in which politics shapes responses to crime within and between societies. We will explore how domestic politics within states react to societal concerns about crime. Specific issues include crime policy, policing strategies, surveillance, and criminal justice reform.
We will also investigate how international politics between states try to forge agreements and meet the common challenges of transnational crime, terrorism, as well as cyber and environmental crime. We conclude by reflecting on the future of law and society and how that future affects us individually and collectively.
At the end of the course, you should be able to:
Understand and engage with major theories and debates within the field of politics, law, and society and apply them critically across different issues.
Deepen your knowledge of the challenges crime poses to individual societies and the broader global community.
Analyze political responses to crime within and between societies and describe how they shape criminal justice systems and international agreements.
Evaluate the effectiveness of national and transnational responses to crime and appreciate the dangers of some emerging criminal threats.
Tasks
Weighting
Written Paper
60%
Group Project
40%
Each week, there will be two or three key readings that students must complete in preparation for small group discussions. In addition, there will be carefully selected additional readings, videos, and podcasts to assist students who want to delve deeper.Although no “one” text covers all the themes and issues covered, you will find the following works useful as course companions.
Introducing law and society:
Lippman, M. (2021). Law and Society (Third Edition). Sage Publications.
Vago, S., & Barkan, S. E. (2018). Law and Society (Eleventh Edition). Routledge.
Domestic politics, law, and society:
Hobbs, S., & Hamerton, C. (2014). The Making of Criminal Justice Policy. Routledge.
Mays, G. L., & Ruddell, R. (2019). Making Sense of Criminal Justice: Policies and Practices(Third Edition). Oxford University Press.
International politics, law, and society:
Banks, C., & Baker, J. (2016). Comparative, International and Global Justice: Perspectives from Criminology and Criminal Justice. Sage Publications.
Reichel, P. L., & Albanese, J. S. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of Transnational Crime and Justice (Second Edition). Sage Publications.
Students are encouraged to keep up-to-date with relevant research on politics, crime, and justice, as well as with media coverage of criminological issues throughout the course. Below are a few journals that will help you to stay abreast of local, regional, and global issues.
Asian Journal of Criminology
British Journal of Criminology
China Quarterly
Crime, Law, and Social Change
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Criminology and Public Policy
Global Crime
Journal of Criminal Justice
Justice Quarterly
Law and Policy
Law and Society Review
