General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW1009 |
| Course name: | Law and Society |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Designated research course: | Not applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the historical, comparative and critical study of issues relating to “law and society”. We hope to capture the dynamics between law and society, namely how law is shaped by social changes, perception and thought, and how society is moulded by legal rules and norms. We will discuss broad interdisciplinary perspectives and theoretical, empirical and policy considerations relevant to the study of the relationship between law and society.
In this one semester course, we will consider some topical themes, such as the relationship between law and politics, law and philosophy, law and history, law and culture, law and morality, law and gender, law and family, etc., to illustrate these dynamics. We will be using multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary perspectives from anthropology, sociology, political science, history and philosophy. This is a course that is not primarily about law, but about how law-related socio-political and historical issues can be studied by employing these multi-disciplinary perspectives.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Albert Chen | albert.chen@hku.hk | CCT 309 | By email |
| Course convenor / tutor | Anne Cheung | anne.cheung@hku.hk | CCT 604 | By email |
| Course convenor / tutor | David Kwok | davkwok@hku.hk | CCT 804 | By email |
| Course tutor | Sarah Cheng | sarahposan.cheng@gmail.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor | Michael Cheung | michaelmkcheung@hku.hk | CCT 921 | By email |
| Course tutor | Ho Ching Him | himho@plowmanchambers.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor | Kin Lau | TBA | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor | Peter Zhu | peter.zhu@resolution-chambers.com | N/A | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Explain and apply key theories and concepts relating to how society defines and understands law and the state from both historical and philosophical perspectives.
CLO 2 Critically examine the social, political and cultural determinants of law in society.
CLO 3 Identify the critical factors to be taken into account in considering and solving everyday socio-legal problems, and demonstrate understanding of how these insights would impact on people’s daily lives.
CLO 4 Explore and analyze the role law plays in organizing and shaping social norms.
CLO 5 Develop personal convictions on socio-legal issues on the basis of principles of fairness and justice.
2.2 LLB Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link: https://course.law.hku.hk/llb-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Due date | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Class participation | N/A | 10% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| Assignment | 27 Oct 2023 | 20% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | |
| Final in-hall exam | 16 Dec 2023 | 70% | 1 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email/ through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s).
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Lecture | 2 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Tutorial | 1 hour / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
To be advised by course convenor(s).
LEARNING RESOURCES
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | There is no prescribed textbook for this course. Duplicated reading materials will be issued. Students are also advised to consult basic textbooks on political science, political philosophy, sociology and history. |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/