![Course](/images/course_icon2008.gif)
Pacific Islands Legal Systems - LAWS8241
Faculty: Faculty of Law
School: Faculty of Law
Course Outline: See below
Campus: Sydney
Career: Postgraduate
Units of Credit: 6
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 2
Enrolment Requirements:
Prerequisite: Academic Program must be either 9200, 9210, 5740, 9230, 9211, 5211, 9231 or 5231.
Excluded: JURD7841, LAWS3541
CSS Contribution Charge: 1 (more info)
Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule
Further Information: See Class Timetable
View course information for previous years.
Description
As the course will be taught on location in Vanuatu, students will gain direct exposure to the key features of a Pacific Island legal system in its own environment. In addition, the location will allow field trips to important legal institutions, such as courts, parliament, government departments, and NGOs. This will greatly help students to appreciate some of the difficulties faced by developing legal systems, and to appreciate how and why these laws and legal systems are developing in the way they are. Students will also be exposed to the culture and way of life of the South Pacific, and will have an opportunity to meet and mix with USP students and staff at organized social functions.
Recommended Prior Knowledge
Course Objectives
- To provide students with a general knowledge of the legal systems of the Pacific Islands;
- To provide students with a general knowledge of one or more areas of law of particular relevance to the Pacific Islands;
- To provide students with a basic working knowledge of some of the legal cultures and legal institutions of the Pacific Islands;
- To make students aware of a variety of legal and policy issues currently facing Pacific Island states.
Learning Outcomes
- Describe some of the key features of Pacific Islands legal systems generally;
- Describe the issues arising in at least one area of Pacific Islands law;
- Understand various problems currently facing the region;
- Appreciate arguments for and against various proposals for law reform in the region; and
- Cogently discuss, orally and in writing, and in a scholarly and persuasive manner, the above ideas and concepts.
Main Topics
- History and development of Pacific Island legal systems;
- Current legal systems of Pacific Island countries;
- Legal institutions and the legal culture of the Pacific Islands;
- Current issues of law and policy facing Pacific Island states.
Assessment
Course Texts
Resources