| CODE | SOC2044 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Sociology of Law | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Sociology | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is designed to introduce students to key theories and research traditions in the sociological study of law. It offers a systematic study of law and the legal system conducted by scholars other than lawyers. The study-unit will give the classical background of how sociologists studied law and moves on to modern and contemporary sociology Theoretical foundations and the development and variations of the sociology of law will be studied. This study-unit then starts from the centrality in sociological thinking about law in the works of Max Weber and Emile Durkheim. This study-unit also offers thematic discussions on the place and role of law in relation to other major social institutions including the economy, politics and culture. The study-unit deals with selected problems with regards to the enforcement of law and its globalization while each thematic section is approached in a way that is theoretically informed. Thus, substantive issues are framed on the basis of theoretically meaningful models. What is reviewed in this unit is necessarily selective, but it should cover salient theoretical innovations and model cases of empirical research. This study-unit aims to give the student a vision of the sociology of law based on a review of theoretical and empirical developments in this sociological speciality. Study-unit Aims: - To present a vision of the sociology of law on the basis of a review of seminal theoretical work and the most important empirical developments in this sociological speciality; - To acquaint students with the relevant works and influence of classical masters and move on to theoretical developments in modern sociology of law; - To provide a social scientific analysis of sociological issues and contexts that influence the development of law in society. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - demonstrate a mastery of core sociological concepts and perspectives; - understand the important theoretical foundations of this sociological speciality and the empirical developments in the sociology of law; - think sociologically about law, legal institutions and other institutions; - understand how law gives meaning and form to social life; - understand law's function in terms of social integration; - recognise the mutual dependence of legal and economic life in the context of market societies; - understand the relationship between law and the polity; law and democracy; - identify inequalities in law, for instance with regards to gender; - understand special problems associated with law, specifically the enforcement of law and its globalization. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - acquire familiarity with bibliographical and search tools appropriate for her/his research, study and presentation needs; - gain the ability to situate her/his particular research interests and disciplines within a wider Humanities framework; - enhance her/his critical appraisal and study skills; - navigate with confidence through online resources beyond Google. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Deflem, M. (2008) Sociology of Law – Visions of scholarly tradition. Cambridge University Press. - Deflem, M. (2002) Policing World Society: Historical Foundations of International Police Cooperation. New York: Oxford University Press. - Dingwall, R. (2002) “Ethnomethodology and Law” in An Introduction to Law and Social Theory, ed. R. - Banakar and M. Travers. Portland, OR: Hart Publishing. - Durkheim, E. (1893) 1984. The Division of Labour in Society. Macmillan Press Ltd: London. - Edelman, L. and R. Stryker (2005) “A Sociological Approach to Law and the Economy” in The Handbook of Economic Sociology 2nd edn. Eds. N.J. Smelser and R. Swedberg. Russell Sage Foundation: New York.Ehrlich, E. (1913) 2001. Fundamental Principles of the Sociology of Law. Transaction Publishers:U.S. - Foucault, M. (1975) 1977. Discipline and Punish: The birth of the prison. New York: Pantheon. - Luhmann, N. (1993) 2004. Law as a Social System. Oxford: Oxford University Press. - MacCorquodale, P. and G. Jensen. (1993) “Women in the Law: partners or tokens?” Gender and Society 7 (4): 582-593. - Parsons, T. (1954) “A Sociologist Looks at the Legal Profession” Pp. 370-385 in his Essays in Sociological Theory. Rev. edn. New York: The Free Press. - Timacheff, N. (1939 ) 1976. An Intoducion to the Sociology of Law. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Bridget Borg |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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