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Refugee Law (LAWS50101)
Graduate coursework level 5Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 2 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject offers JD students the opportunity to undertake advanced and specialised study in an important contemporary subset of public law. Refugee law in Australia (as in most of the 147 states party to the Refugee Convention) is inspired and guided by international treaty obligations but anchored in domestic constitutional and administrative law. It is therefore an excellent example of the interdependence of domestic and international public law.
At the heart of the course is the constant tension between international and domestic public law, a tension that exists across the legal system as a whole but is particularly poignant in the context of human rights law. This theme is examined throughout the course as students are introduced to the way in which this struggle has manifested in Constitutional Law (both in the context of interpreting the Commonwealth's broad plenary powers over 'aliens' and 'immigration' and in understanding the limits on Commonwealth power) and Administrative Law (by examining the significant impact which refugee law has had on shaping and pushing the boundaries of administrative law principles). Another central theme is the tension between branches of government; in particular the courts on the one hand and the legislature and executive on the other.
The subject will begin with an historical introduction to international refugee law, before turning to consider the key international instruments for the protection of refugees including the Refugee Convention and Protocol (including the role of the UNHCR); regional instruments; customary international law; and international human rights treaties. The course concentrates primarily on the 1951 Convention, exploring the key controversies in interpreting the refugee definition and extent of international protection afforded to refugees. This provides a framework for considering the implementation of the Refugee Convention in Australian domestic law. The course will also equip students to read, comprehend and contextualise comparative jurisprudence, because in examining the way in which Australian decision-makers have interpreted the definition of 'refugee', students will study high level case-law from across the common law world, as well as some key decisions from civil law jurisdictions.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed the subject should have a rich and integrated understanding of the domestic and international aspects of the governance of refugee law in Australia. In particular, students should:
- Understand the international development of refugee law;
- Have specialised knowledge of the different international instruments governing refugee law at the international level and understand the differences between them;
- Have advanced knowledge of the framework for resolving the key controversies in interpreting the definition of 'refugee' in the 1951 Refugee Convention, namely, by reference to the rules of treaty interpretation and comparative jurisprudence;
- Have an expert understanding of the way in which international refugee law is implemented in the Australian domestic legal system;
- Understand at an advanced level the structure of decision-making in Australian refugee law, including the important role of tribunals and the limited nature of judicial review;
- Have insight into the practical operation of refugee law in Australia and an ability to critically analyse and reflect on the limits of judicial review;
- Have advanced and specialised knowledge of the way in which refugee law has shaped the development of administrative law principles; and
- Have an advanced and nuanced understanding of the challenges in implementing international refugee law in Australia domestic law and be able to reflect critically on current refugee policy including in respect of regional processing arrangements.
Generic skills
On completion of Refugee Law, students should have developed and demonstrated their skills in the following areas:
- Advanced and specialised skills in reading, comprehending and interpreting Australian legislation and case-law;
- Advanced technical skills in treaty interpretation (drawing on and extending skills in statutory interpretation developed in previous public law compulsory subjects);
- An expert ability to read, comprehend, reflect on and synthesise case-law interpreting the definition of 'refugee' from a wide range of common law and civil law jurisdictions;
- An ability to understand and apply general principles and theories of international law and international human rights law to the specialised context of refugee law;
- An advanced capacity for critical and independent thought and reflection, in particular to reflect critically on contemporary refugee law, policy and practice in Australia; and
- An advanced ability to observe, evaluate, interpret and transmit an analysis of a discrete refugee law case in the form of written assessment.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into the MC-JURISD Juris Doctor
AND
All of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning | Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50028 | Constitutional Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50032 | Administrative Law | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS70366 | International Refugee Law | June (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS70394 | International Refugee Law:Refugee Rights | No longer available |
Recommended background knowledge
It is recommended that students complete the below subject before attempting this one. However this is not compulsory. Students who have not completed the below subject will be provided with some additional background reading at the beginning of the subject.
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50041 | Public International Law | July (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Option 1: Online take-home examination (8hrs)
| During the examination period | 100% |
Option 2: Research essay (See below)
| During the examination period | 100% |
Hurdle requirement: Attendance at 75% of classes (minimum). | N/A |
Additional details
Note: Students must choose assessment from the options listed above. If an option contains parts, all parts must be completed if that option is chosen.
Research Essay
If students choose the essay option, they will be expected to devise their own topic in consultation with the subject coordinator. It is expected that students will attend a lunch time session on research skills conducted by the library, undertake sophisticated research including both primary and secondary material, generate complex argumentation, and demonstrate highly developed analytical and critical skills.
The due date of the above assessment(s) will be available to students via the Assessment Schedule on the LMS Community.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Coordinator Michelle Foster Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Total time commitment 144 hours Teaching period 24 July 2023 to 22 October 2023 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2023 Census date 31 August 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2023 Assessment period ends 17 November 2023
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has an enrolment quota of 60 students.
All timely JD elective enrolments are subject to a selection process, which the Academic Support Office will perform after the timely re-enrolment period ends. Late self-enrolment is on a first-in basis up to quota.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law School website for further information about the management of subject quotas.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- James C Hathaway and Michelle Foster, The Law of Refugee Status, Second Edition (CUP, 2014); and
- Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Juris Doctor - 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: 31 January 2024