Law and Civil Society in Asia (LAWS90212)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
Contact information
Semester 1
Teaching staff:
Amanda Whiting (Subject Coordinator)
Sarah Biddulph (Subject Coordinator)
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
Overview
| Availability(Quotas apply) | Semester 1 |
|---|---|
| Fees | Look up fees |
This subject explores the concept and actuality of civil society as it relates to the legal systems of states in Northeast and Southeast Asia. It introduces and then critiques the notion of civil society in Western political thought and evaluates its applicability in contemporary Asian states. It then explores select Asian understandings and experiences in depth through case studies of government regulation of civil society organisations and the way that civil society actors influence or seek to influence government and public opinion, by advocating better or different law and policy delivery or changes (law and or policy reform) in areas such as: citizenship and electoral participation; labour conditions; the media; and the intersection of gender with these arenas of contestation. The role of legal professional organisations as advocates for law reform will also be given particular attention.
All subject materials will be in English and no knowledge of an Asian language is required, but of course students are encouraged to use non-English research materials as appropriate.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should:
- Possess an integrated and advanced understanding of the historical development of, and current ideas about, civil society in the Western political tradition;
- Possess a deep and sophisticated understanding about, and be able to critically evaluate the applicability of, differing ideas about civil society in contemporary Asia and the extent to which the concept of civil society continues to have value in studying legal, social and political transformation in Asia;
- Be able to describe in detail and analyse in depth the legal constructions and changing roles of civil society organisations in Asia, by reference to the laws and policies regulating them, and to civil society actors' own understandings of their place and purpose;
- Have developed the cognitive and technical research skills necessary to locate and critically evaluate policies, programs and activities of civil society actors in their sometimes supportive, sometimes contested engagement with institutions of the state;
- Have developed the communication skills to clearly and convincingly articulate complex information and lucidly argued propositions in a research paper about the relationships between civil society and the state in select Asian jurisdictions.
Generic skills
On completion of this subject, students should have developed:
- An integrated and advanced knowledge of the philosophical concept of civil society, in the Western political tradition and in contemporary Asian polities;
- Mature, independent and critical thinking which evidences the ability to investigate legal and socio-political issues in depth and analyse complex, culturally- and context-specific information;
- The capacity to critically reflect upon and draw well-reasoned and evidence-based conclusions about civil society-state relations constructed from appropriate case studies.
Last updated: 4 March 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 (Dual-Delivery - 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 |
| LAWS90140 | Disputes and Ethics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
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: 4 March 2025
Assessment
| Description | Timing | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Topic proposal (600 words excluding reference list)
| Week 5 | N/A |
Independent research essay on a topic devised by the student and approved by the coordinator
| During the assessment period | 100% |
| Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% of classes must be attended. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Additional details
The due dates of interim assessment will be made available to students on the Assessment Schedule on the Juris Doctor Canvas LMS Community. Note, these are updated regularly.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinators Amanda Whiting and Sarah Biddulph Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching requirements Please refer to the Reading Guide on the LMS subject page for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025 Last self-enrol date 14 March 2025 Census date 31 March 2025 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025 Assessment period ends 27 June 2025 Semester 1 contact information
Teaching staff:
Amanda Whiting (Subject Coordinator)
Sarah Biddulph (Subject Coordinator)
For current student enquiries, contact the Law School Academic Support Office
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. Please refer to the Juris Doctor enrolment webpage for further information about re-enrolment and subject quotas. Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for inbound study abroad and exchange students.
Last updated: 4 March 2025
Further information
- Texts
- Related Handbook entries
- Links to additional information
- 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.
Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If subject coordinator approval is required, or for further information about Community Access Program study, please contact us
(enquiries for current students | enquiries for prospective students).
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
Last updated: 4 March 2025