| Unit name | Sex, Gender and Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD30110 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Katie Cruz |
| 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?
Sex, gender and law is unlike any other module! In this final year optional unit, you will develop your own perspective on the following questions: what is sex and gender? Are they separate or related? Are they acquired characteristics, biological traits, or hierarchical power relationships? What role does or should law play in the regulation of sex and gender? We consider how feminist and queer theorists and movements have answered these questions and (re)imagined legal equality and justice. We explore these debates through substantive topics, which may include reproductive justice, trans justice, sex worker justice, amongst others. This module builds upon briefer encounters with these topics elsewhere in your degree (in jurisprudence and other optional units, including family law, medical law, human rights law and employment law, for example). We do consider legal doctrine, but this is not a doctrinal module. It is suited to students interested in critical jurisprudence, feminist, gender, queer and socio-legal theory.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
In this final year unit, you will develop a contextual, practical and theoretical understanding of law and law-related phenomena. Research, close reading, and evaluation of different normative and political perspectives are the analytical skills you will develop on this module. This module offers you a unique opportunity to place the legal knowledge and doctrinal skills you have acquired during your degree within a broader social, economic, and political context. You will consider how and why the law regulates sex and gender. You will also be encouraged to consider how the law should regulate sex and gender.
An overview of content
We start this unit with a deep dive into the differences – if any – between sex and gender. We then move to studying the varied ways in which feminist and queer theorists have approached the interface between law and sex, gender and sexuality. Particular attention is paid to the sameness-difference dilemma in feminism, critiques of the sameness-difference paradigm, and possible attempts at moving past this reductive binary by shifting the focus onto challenging hierarchical relations of power. To make these theoretical concepts and debates more concrete, we then introduce three substantive case studies. While the case studies vary year-by-year, and have in the past included sex work, trans rights, and reproductive justice, their aim is to provide real-life, practical spaces to test, interrogate and further develop the theories. Put simply, the case studies become sites to reflect on the theories, bringing the theory and practice of the law closer to one another.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
At the end of this unit, you will have a clear understanding of feminist and queer approaches towards the legal regulation of sex, gender and sexuality. You will develop this understanding both at the level of theory and at the level of substantive practice. Careful attention will be paid to bridging the two. The unit will also help you build or refine your ability to critically analyse the law in light of its context. Finally, the unit will contribute to enhancing your research skills, your aptitude for close reading of academic text and legal doctrine, and your ability to construct a nuanced and persuasive argument.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this unit a successful student will be able to:
Your work on this unit will be focused on the lectures, the seminars, and your own independent study. The lectures will offer you an introduction to the topics covered by the unit. Some lectures will give you general background information and introduce you to the most important or difficult issues in each area. Other lectures will be skills-focused; they will be more interactive in style e.g. students will answer questions using e.g. Mentimeter and may be asked to discuss scenarios in small groups.
This introductory material forms the basis for your independent study which may involve watching videos, essential reading tasks e.g. textbooks, case law, statute and academic articles, and responding to questions. These questions are the focus of discussion in seminars which give you an informal opportunity to receive feedback on your knowledge and understanding from your tutor and peers. A list of ‘further reading’ is provided for each topic; you do not need to read this material in advance of the relevant seminar, but you might wish to explore some of it as part of your revision.
The seminars form the centre piece of each of the topics covered in this unit. You will be expected to be well-prepared for the seminars, and to have done the work and exercises we have set for you. You should be willing to engage actively with your peers and tutor in those sessions and should use them to get your questions answered. You will be supported in your study through consolidation sessions and revision sessions. The formative assessment will also provide you an opportunity to receive feedback on a summative-style coursework essay introduction and plan.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The formative assessment is intended to aid your learning but does not count towards the overall unit mark. Formative assessments are aimed at assisting you in preparing for the summative assessment by testing your ability to engage with a topic or topics, as well as developing deeper understanding of a particular topic or topics. By engaging with the formative assessment, you can further develop your skills and better evaluate your ability to engage with the subject and respond effectively to questions. The formative also gives you an opportunity to receive feedback from your tutors. For this unit, the formative assessment will be preparing an essay introduction and plan in response to a set question.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The assessment will test all the Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit in the context of topics selected by the examiners. The summative assessment for this unit will be a 3000 word Coursework Essay. The summative essay questions will require you to demonstrate descriptive and critical analytical skills. Skills lectures will help you prepare for the summative assessment task. Moreover, structured discussion in seminars will focus on questions similar to those you will encounter in the summative assessments.
When assessment does not go to plan
When a student fails the unit and is eligible to resubmit the assessment, the unit will be reassessed on a like-for-like basis. The Board of Examiners will consider in the usual way all cases where a student has failed the summative assessment or has otherwise not completed it.
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. LAWD30110).
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 assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
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.
