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Legal Issues in Arts and Media (PUBL90014)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)

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Overview

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Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery
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This subject addresses ethical issues and legal constraints related to working in the arts and culture sector, including publishing for print and digital media. It will review existing ethical codes and the mechanisms established to police them, as well as offering an overview of how practices are shaped by law relating to such matters as intellectual property, contracts, negligence, privacy, defamation and respect for cultural differences. On successfully completing this subject, students will have gained an understanding of a wide range of ethical and legal considerations for their professional practice.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Be familiar with standard media and arts industry practices, codes of conduct and legal instruments
  • Develop a strong understanding of the respective roles of arts, media, and legal professionals in dealing with ethical and legal issues
  • Understand the impact on arts, media and publishing practice of laws pertaining to such matters as intellectual property, contractual obligations, negligence, privacy, defamation and respecting cultural differences
  • Be familiar with the issues involved in recent high-profile cases where standards have been breached
  • Analyse and contribute to broader intellectual debates on legal issues that impact upon media and arts management
  • Demonstrate an ability to apply ethical and legal knowledge to their own arts, media and publishing practice.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:

  • High-level written and oral communication skills through contribution to class discussions and the completion of assignments
  • A capacity for effective teamwork through group discussions
  • Skills in cultural and ethical understanding of the cultural role of books and readings and the responsibilities of publishers
  • Skills in research through the preparation of class papers and assignments, including the use of online as well as print-based materials
  • Skills in time management and planning through managing workloads for recommended reading, tutorial presentations and assessment requirements
  • A capacity for critical thinking through the use of readings and discussion to develop an understanding of the considerations that underpin law and ethics
  • A capacity for theoretical analysis through engagement with a range of texts that offer different perspectives on publishing as a component of the wider field of cultural practices.

Last updated: 26 June 2024