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Public Trials (LAWS30024)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject will be delivered online in 2020 over the scheduled dates.
Trials play an important role in the drama of public life. Their study enables a contextual exploration of how law is constructed and performed. The guiding questions of this subject are: what happens in the trial? And what does the trial represent for the political community within which it takes place? The subject explores these questions through a range of high profile or exemplary trials in state and commonwealth, national and international, jurisdictions.
The key themes addressed through the in-depth study of public trials in this subject are:
- The use of trials to respond to situations of injustice and social instability;
- How trials generate stories of nationhood and political identity;
- The role of trials in reforming law and transforming the event to which they respond; and
- What the drama of the specific trial reveals about the community in which it is staged.
After introducing the nature of public trials the subject turns to a consideration of exemplary trials, both contemporary and historical, from various jurisdictions. An indicative sample includes the following famous trials.
- The Eichmann Trial (Jerusalem 1961);
- The Communist Party Case (Melbourne 1950-1951);
- The Ronald Ryan case (death penalty);
- Lindy Chamberlain trials (1981-1983);
- The Tampa case (Ruddock v Vardarlis, 2001);
- Tasmanian Dams case, 1983;
- Nulyrimma and Thompson (Australian genocide case), 1999;
- Mabo 1992;
- Brown v Board of Education, USA, 1954;
- The David Hicks Military Commission hearing, 2007;
- Palm Island death in custody coronial inquiries and trial, 2004-2007; and
- OJ Simpson trials (criminal and civil), 1995-2007.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject should have an understanding of the role of legal trials in political and public life, and the lessons that can be drawn about law, politics and justice. Specifically, the student will be able to reflect on and evaluate:
- How trials work as forms of political story-telling;
- The historical transformation of law through trials;
- The significance of law for social change and social activism; and
- Interdisciplinary approaches to law.
In addition, a student will have obtained:
- An appreciation of the distinctive procedure and function of courts;
- A transnational and comparative understanding of the trial;
- In depth knowledge of at least one public trial and to analyse public trials from a variety of perspectives; and
- The capacity to conduct independent research about law and its relation to historical, social and political context.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject the student should have:
- Capacity for self-directed learning, specifically the ability to plan work and use time effectively;
- Cognitive and analytical skills;
- Ability to speak about complex ideas in a clear and cogent manner;
- An awareness of diversity and plurality;
- Write essays which develop structured argumentation; and
- Capacity to judge the worth of their own arguments.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Topic proposal
| Week 7 | 15% |
Research essay, due in the first week of examination period
| During the examination period | 75% |
Additional details
The due date of the above assessment will be available to students via the LMS subject page.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Ann Genovese Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours (one 2-hour online lecture and one 1-hour online tutorial) Total time commitment 144 hours Teaching period 3 August 2020 to 1 November 2020 Last self-enrol date 14 August 2020 Census date 21 September 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 16 October 2020 Assessment period ends 27 November 2020 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
144 hours
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Subject materials will be available on the LMS.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Minor Law and Justice - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Biomedicine
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Science
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024