| Unit name | Rich Law, Poor Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD30017 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Bales |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Rich Law, Poor Law is a unit that was borne out of both anger and concern – anger at the way the poor are treated compared to the rich; and concern that law facilitates wealth and punishes the poor. In short, the rule of law that everybody is treated equally does not withstand scrutiny. It is not the purpose of this unit to gain a full, in-depth appreciation of all the nuances of “Rich Law, Poor Law” – that would be many lifetimes’ achievement. Rather, its purpose is to seek explanations of law and policy problematics as best we can, taking account of the way each has developed to demonstrate consistently differentiated experiences of law, delineated by factors such as capital, race and gender. Taught across three specific themes (adapted to fit demands of the present), we explore the ways in which law creates, facilitates and maintains the ‘rich’, ‘poor’ divide.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This is a level 6, optional unit which goes beyond traditional legal doctrine by critically assessing why particular legal rules and policies are put in place, who they seek to benefit and the ramifications of these decisions on different communities. It contextualises the present by drawing from historical insights and developments, as well as linking law making to the issue of capital - a central theme throughout the course. As an optional unit, it builds upon key concepts, theories and skills introduced in previous years and complements learning across other units such as law and race, employment law, immigration law, human rights, corporate governance, land law and jurisprudence.
An overview of content
Key to the structure of this unit is that learning cycles are themed, allowing students to explore the impact of each theme on the rich/poor. As a research-led unit, the themes are interchangeable depending on the staff teaching, however they are likely to include: property, capital, inequality, race, welfare, work, criminality, debt, migration and social justice.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will be able to scrutinise policies that disadvantage the ‘poor’ and advantage the ‘rich’, linking this to historical events such as the transition from feudalism to capitalism and the colonisation of Global South countries which impacted capital distribution. You will have a broader awareness of the influence of capital on law and policy making to equip you for positive engagement with diverse and global communities. You will possess independent research skills and contextualise law within the historical, political and economic context in which it is formed.
Learning Outcomes
The unit consists of a weekly mix of seminar, lecture and guided independent activities. These activities combine teacher delivery to students, asynchronous activities such as recorded interviews/talks and other teaching materials, student discussion, student group work and student independent activities including structured reading, engaging with audio/visual resources and analysing different written data sources.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
There is no set formative question for this unit. Instead, you will be asked to reflect upon an area of law and policy using the lens of one of the central theories or theorists introduced within the course. Accordingly, you will set a title and write a 1000-word theoretical reflection which you will submit midway through the teaching block. You will receive written feedback from your tutor which will allow you to develop your formative work for submission as part of your summative portfolio.
In addition, students can submit work to the Rich Law, Poor Law student-run blog site for peer-to-peer feedback as the blog is edited by a student team, overseen by a tutor, meaning you will get both peer feedback and some limited tutor comments. This work can also contribute to the final portfolio. Submission is subject to capacity and is no guarantee of feedback.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Portfolio option comprising: 1 x 1000-word theoretical entry, 1 x 1000-word blog, and 1 x 1000-word reflection. Students will set their own titles and questions for each of the entries, meaning no questions will be ‘released’ by tutors. This is a self-directed research unit. Submission will be at the end of week 13. This assessment covers all of the unit ILOs.
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessment required for credit in the usual way.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. LAWD30017).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
