General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW3172 & LALS3012 |
| Course name: | Law and Social Theory |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme / BA&LLB Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Designated research course: | No applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | Normally an Introduction to Legal Theory course or its equivalent |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
Most people, lawyers included, take for granted the more or less stable conditions of modern society within which law operates. But these conditions are the result of the development and operation of a range of social forces and institutional forms. These developed historically and they form the basis of much unreflective social understanding and action. Most of us operate within these structures, and rarely think about them. One of the key aims of this course is to investigate the social conditions within which law operates in a more systematic way, drawing on the insights of some of the key thinkers about modern society.
The course will thus develop students’ knowledge of the basic paradigms of social theory as they relate to law. Topics to be covered include: competing theoretical accounts of law in modernity; modern law and economic development; law, conflict, and social solidarity; disciplinary and bio-political power; law, gender and social change; symbolic power and the legal profession; law and the challenges of climate change.
By developing a critical understanding of the relationship between law and social theory students will assess the differences between diverse theoretical approaches and be able to develop and articulate their own understanding of the appropriate paradigms for analysis in legal and social theory. The aim is therefore to deepen students’ understanding of contemporary law and legal institutions in their social context.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Scott Veitch | veitch@hku.hk | CCT 409 | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Demonstrate a familiarity with a range of socio-theoretical analyses of law and legal institutions.
CLO 2 Assess critically the differences between diverse theoretical approaches.
CLO 3 Apply social theoretical methods to legal problems or issues.
CLO 4 Articulate in writing and orally their own understanding of the appropriate paradigms for analysis in legal and social theory.
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 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Due date | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Oral presentation (20 minutes) | TBC | 20% | 1, 3, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Essay (3,500 words) | TBC | 80% | 1, 2, 3 | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| *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 the convenor.
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
Learning Activities
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Seminar: | 3 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 11 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 the convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/