Sexualities, Gender, Activism and Law (LAWS90190)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2023
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
Overview
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The subject takes a theoretical, doctrinal, critical and practical approach to the law as it affects gender, sexuality and sexual orientation and identity. It will explore how the law creates and responds to issues and experiences of diverse communities, and the role of lawyers to achieve legal reform for those communities. Divided into two parts, in the first part of the subject, students will learn about the law, legal issues, and theoretical perspectives on current legal issues in the field of law and gender, law and sexualities, and law and intersectionalities. The topics will traverse ideas of rights and freedoms, laws of crime and property, and places of work and home. In the second part of the subject, supported by guest speakers, students will learn about law reform, legal change, and the role, experience and capacity of legal activism. From year to year topics may include global movements for marriage equality, the push for trans rights in Australia and abroad, the movement to develop LGBT hate crime laws in the US, gender-based violence in the Australian city, region and home, and decriminalisation movements in a development context. Students will translate their learning of the law and legal theories from the first part of the subject into ideas and strategies to change the law in the second part of the subject.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who successfully completes this subject will have:
- A sophisticated, theoretically and doctrinally grounded understanding of contemporary legal issues in the field of gender and sexual orientation and identity and intersectionality studies
- An enhanced ability to analyse and reflect critically and meaningfully on the law as it affects diverse communities, and the need for law reform
- A practical and theoretical understanding into the processes and strategies for law reform
- Acquired insights and skills into the role and capacity for lawyers to act as activists for legal change
Generic skills
Upon successful completion of the subject, students will have developed and demonstrated the following skills:
- Creative and strategic thinking skills, including the ability to gather information, understand interests and context, and devise ways to advance a law reform agenda;
- Personal and professional skills, including learning autonomously, devising a law reform project, presenting the project, self-reflection on performance and the role of lawyers;
- Communication skills, especially developing skills and methods to communicate with various actors in the legal and political system; and
- Research and reflection skills, including the ability to engage in high-level analysis and critical reflection, and to develop and articulate legal reform ideas based on theoretical and doctrinal knowledge of the law.
Last updated: 2 April 2025
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 |
| LAWS50025 | Torts | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50026 | Obligations | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50028 | Constitutional Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50029 | Contracts | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50031 | Legal Theory |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
AND
One of
| Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWS90140 | Disputes and Ethics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LAWS50027 | Dispute Resolution | Not available in 2023 |
12.5 |
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: 2 April 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Legal issue summary report
| Before beginning of Week 2 of teaching | 40% |
Presentation on legal issue and reform ideas and strategy
| End of Week 2 of teaching | 20% |
Legal change writing portfolio, including a reflection, opinion writing, and an activist blueprint
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 40% |
Additional details
Due dates for assessment will be provided on the LMS.
Last updated: 2 April 2025
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
Not available in 2023
Additional delivery details
This subject has an enrolment quota of 60 students.
Enrolments occur on a first come, first served basis up to quota, except for the timely re-enrolment period. Timely enrolments enter a selection process, and unsuccessful enrolments are withdrawn.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law School website for further information about the management of subject quotas.
Last updated: 2 April 2025
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Students are required to read one of the following texts before the commencement of the subject:
- Queer Wars: The New Global Polarization over Gay Rights by Dennis Altman and Jonathan Symons (Policy, 2016)
- Butterfly Politics by Catharine A MacKinnon (Harvard University Press, 2017)
- Feminist Activism, Women’s Rights, and Legal Reform by Mulki Al-Sharmani (Zed Books, 2013)
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 2 April 2025