What’s it all about?
What is the relationship between law and society? How does one influence the other? And what is ‘law’ anyway? Should there be one law for all?
In this class we will cover the fundamental questions that lie behind the formation of laws, and the way those questions manifest themselves today. For example, should the law be more lenient when people commit crimes when they are intoxicated? Should there be special sentencing laws for Aboriginal offenders? And should the law recognise same-sex marriage?
We will discuss all this and more by exploring how law both attempts to unify society and reflect its diversity, and we will do so through the lens of popular culture.
What will we cover?
– What is ‘law’? (you’ll tell me!)
– What is it good for?
– What would a reasonable person say about law’s ‘reasonable person’?
– How does the law ‘see’ social diversity?
– Five weird rights you probably didn’t know you have.
Who will be teaching?
John Alizzi is a postgraduate law student at Melbourne University, who also works part-time as a legal consultant. Previously, he has studied History and Studies in Religion at the University of Queensland, and has taught abroad for several years. John was recently awarded the Melbourne University prize in legal theory and is also a contributor to and editor of RightNow.org.au, which promotes the discussion of human rights issues in Australia.