Law and Society

What is the role of law in society?  This module introduces you to a range of theoretical perspectives and contemporary debates about the nature of law.  It will give you a philosophical dimension to your studies, helping you relate the study of law to debates about the state and the nature of authority.  You’ll gain a good grounding in how legal and social theory has analysed law as a social and political phenomenon.

What does the module cover?

Become familiar with a range of philosophical approaches to the study of law and the state.  Understand the classical jurisprudential and modern sociological accounts of law’s role as part of “modern society”, and analyse some of the key historical/philosophical moments in jurisprudence/sociology of law debates.  Consider the philosophical links from classical jurisprudential accounts of the rule of law to contemporary debates in legal theory.  Recognise generic problems confronting specific theoretical accounts of law and legal authority and their complexities.

More Information

Module Code:

LA2220

Key topics

• The Concept of the Rule of Law in Legal Theory
• “Classical” Conceptions of Citizenship and the Polis
• Law and the Social Contract
• Legal Positivism
• Law, Justice and Morality
• The Sociology of Law
• Critical Legal Studies
• Contemporary Developments in Legal Theory

Pre-requisites

None

Number of credits & study time

20 credits / 200 hours

Assessment

You’ll complete a 4000 word piece of coursework and a research log.  Please note that there are additional assessment fees for each module.