Law and Society

LWSO 201 L02

Introduction to Legal Studies
Fall 2008
MWF 14:00-14:50

ST126

 

Instructor:	CGK Atkins
Office Location:	SS346
Office Phone:	403 210 9433
E-Mail:	catkins@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	M 13:00, by appointment

Additional Information

Course Description

This is an introductory course in the Law and Society Program (Faculty of Communication and Culture). It provides the student with both a theoretical and practical framework with which to examine foundational texts in the field of socio-legal studies.  After examining essential concepts we will progress toward the end of the course to examine specific issues within Canadian law.  

We will examine a variety of texts from a number of historical periods. These texts will help us analyze cultural and social influences in the formation of law and politics and society in general and, Canadian legal culture, specifically.

Objectives of the Course

By the end of the course the student should be equipped with critical and analytical skills with which she or he can approach a wide variety of materials.  This will allow the student to begin to grasp the manner in which law, politics and culture interpenetrate one another and, the manner in which Canadian law is formed and re-formed across time.

Textbooks and Readings:

Edmund Burke. Reflections on the Revolution in France. (Ed. J.G.A. Pocock) Hackett Publishing.

Canada: Constitution Act 1867-1982.

John Locke. Second Treatise of Government (ed. C.B. Macpherson), Hackett Publishing.

Plato. The Trial and Death of Socrates. (tr. G.M.A. Grube), Hackett Publishing

William Shakespeare. The Merchant of Venice. Oxford University Press.

Formatting/style manuals available in the bookstore. Chicago, MLA, or APA are acceptable.

Note that a consistent and accurate formatting style is fundamental to the writing components of this course. Funk and Wagnalls Canadian College Dictionary. Toronto: Fitzhenry and Whiteside; Oxford English Dictionary (latest editions).

Chapman, Robert L., ed. The Original Roget's International Thesaurus, fifth edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1992.

Globe and Mail; The New York Times; The Economist; Alberta Views; The Walrus; Macleans

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Short paper (25 %): 5-7 pages - (Plato & Shakespeare) DUE 10 October 2008

In-class essay/test (30%) -  (Locke & Burke) 3 November 2008

Group Assignment (15%) -(Plato, Canadian Constitution) DUE 17 November 2008

Take Home Final Exam (30 %) Handed out 28 Nov 2008 - DUE 3 Dec 2008

Students are expected to use ONLY the required texts and readings in their assignments.  Any use of the internet will be treated as plagiarism.

ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST USE PROPER CITATIONS AND HAVE BIBLIOGRAPHIES.

All assignments must be completed in order to receive a passing mark.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  NO

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

 

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

8, 10, 12 Sept 2008 - Introduction to Course, Introductory lecture

15, 17, 19 Sept 2008  - Plato

22, 24, 26 Sept 2008 - Plato; Merchant of Venice

29 Sept, 1, 3 Oct 2008 - MofV film

6, 8, 10 Oct 2008 - MofV, Locke

13 Oct 2008 THANKSGIVING - no class

15, 17 Oct 2008- Locke

20, 22, 24 Oct 2008 - Burke

27, 29, 31 Oct 2008  - Burke, Canadian Constitution Act

3, 5, 7 Nov 2008 - Blackboard Readings

10 Nov 2008 READING DAY - no class

12, 14 Nov 2008 Democracy on Trial (NFB film); Blackboard Readings

17, 19, 21 Nov 2008 - Blackboard Readings

24, 26, 28 Nov 2008 - Blackboard Readings, TAKE HOME

1, 3, 5 Dec 2008 - TAKE HOME