SOC/CRJ 368 - Law and Society

Course Structure

This is a web-based course in which all class activities take place online. We will rely on this course outline, e-mail, and other web-based tools to complete this course. In addition to this syllabus, much of the content in this course is included in the online classrooom designed for this course.

Click here to visit the online classroom

Course Description

An introduction to the development of law and legal systems, the social organization of law, and the functions and roles of law in society, applying cross-cultural and anthropological perspectives. The relationship of values, economy and culture of a society to the laws it adopts.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this class students are expected to be able to:

Differentiate between theories offered to explain the origins and role of law.
Articulate a position on issues concerning the relationship between law and society.
Describe the organizational structure of the law, including both legal and extra-legal social institutions.
Explain the process of lawmaking and the role of various actors.
Describe the processes through which the American legal system functions as an agent of social control.
Evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of various dispute resolution processes.
Outline various perspectives on law as a tool for social change.
Describe the evolution of the legal profession, paying particular attention to professionalism, ethics, status, and access to law.

Textbook

Vago, S. (2009). Law and Society, 9th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Although my preference is that everyone use the most current edition, students will be able to successfully achieve all course objectives by purchasing the 8th edition. You may also be able to save by purchasing the 9th edition through an alternate vendor. Either edition may be available through several online outlets. Prentice Hall also offers an online version at about half the price of the printed version. Regardless of how you purchase your textbooks, you should plan to have the book in hand by the second week of the semester.

Evaluation Criteria

Journal Entries (40%)
Online Exams (40%)
Online Discussions (20%)
Participation and Engagement (-10)

A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89.99%
C = 70% - 79.99%
D = 60% - 69.99%
F = 59.99% or below

Journal Entries: (40%)

Ten journal entries will be due on dates listed in the course calendar. Journals are intended to be your own words. Cut-and-paste from web sites is not acceptable. Use this journal to provide comments on the readings, discussions, web sites, and other experiences. The total amount of writing should be 6 to 8 pages for each journal.

After you complete the assigned readings, sit back and think about what it all meant. Once you have an idea of what you want to say, start typing your journal, much of it off the top of your head. Whatever comes to mind. While I expect a certain amount of organization, the journals are not expected to be "term paper quality.

The journals should contain two separate parts:

First, provide specific comments on readings. Label this section "Reading Content." Provide enough information to demonstrate that you did the required readings, but you should not write more than 4 or 5 pages for this section.
The second section of your journal should include a 2 to 3 page summary in which you integrate the readings, class discussion, current events, other classes, and any other experiences. This should be labeled the "So What?" section.

In addition to expectations regarding page length, my grading criteria is fairly simple. While reading the journals I ask three questions:

Did you read it?
Did you think about the issues raised in the reading?
Did you integrate various issues - are you applying the concepts

Online Exams: (30%)

Four online essay exams will be posted in the cjcampus online classroom. Each essay includes internet activities that direct you to content that you will review and respond to in writing. These assignments typically include a 500-1000 word essay on the assigned topic. Questions typically contain multiple parts. This is not done to make questions more difficult. Multiple parts are recommended to provide guidance that will lead to a high quality answer. Remember to address each section but do not assume that the ideas raised in each section are the only issues to be addressed in your response.

Essays should have sufficient breadth and depth to indicate more than a passing awareness of the issues raised in the questions. Grading will be determined based on the thoroughness of response and the ability to properly apply knowledge gained through reading the text. Essays should be "term paper quality." Pay attention to spelling, sentence and paragraph structure, organization, and citations. Your papers should use APA style, which is described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition, 2009).

All written assignments must be in Word format (with a .doc or .docx extension). If you do not have Microsoft Word you may want to try the free alternative, OpenOffice. This program also includes a spreadsheet and other tools, including an HTML editor. Go to http://openoffice.org to download and install. Other word processing programs may work, but if you cannot save your files in the .doc or .docx format, please "save as" an rtf file.

Discussions: (30%)

Nine discussion questions will be posted throughout the semester. Instructions are included with the postings. In general, students will be expected to formulate a response to the discussion question and post at least two comments that refer to the responses of other students. Posts must demonstrate your understanding of the readings and/or your analysis of assigned videos or other media content. Posts that are limited to personal opinion are not acceptable.

Discussions will occur among groups of 5-6 students. Groups will be assigned once class begins. All discussions will be completed in the online forum, with submissions evaluated and commented on by classmates. The rating of these activities is an important component of the class participation score. More information, including a discussion rating rubric, is included in the classroom.

Participation and Engagement: (up to 10 points will be deducted)

This course will be better if you talk more and I talk less. I prefer not to dominate the discussion, so each of you will need to remain active throughout the course. You all have interesting ideas and viewpoints and we learn more by sharing and trying to understand various views.

Note that this criteria includes participation and engagement. While we may be able to assess participation through a simple count of posts, we are also interested in active engagement throughout the course. Engagement is demonstrated by remaining active each week, submitting assignments on time, joining discussions at the beginning of each week, and helping each other create a vibrant learning environment.

Course Policies

Learning Strategies

This course has been designed as an "online learning environment." You are all familiar with the dynamic of the classroom - the professor may lecture while students listen and occasionally interact. Most classrooms are designed as "teaching environments." Students may not be an integral part of a teaching environment and in some cases the class could be held even if no students were in attendance.

In contrast, the online learning environment requires student engagement. In fact, the environment fails to function if students are not engaged. This course contains materials that if consumed, will result in learning. Like the story of "leading a horse to water," this course environment is the water. To make it work, you must each "take a drink." an open mind is also quite important.

You are all expected to help each other. Your professor has a great deal of knowledge about the subject matter. Each student in this class also has knowledge that can help us learn. For example, if a student posts a question to the discussion forum we do not need to wait for an "official" response form the professor. Help each other learn as we make our way through the materials.

Deadlines

Deadlines are not suggestions. All written material will rapidly lose points in the days following the due date. Zero points will be awarded for missed assignments.

ADA

Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments is requested to speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor, as early in the semester (preferably within the first week) as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please contact Disability Support Services, DF Lowry Building, 910-521-6695. Please see http://www.uncp.edu/dss/ for more information.

Class Withdrawal

Class withdrawal is your responsibility. If you disappear, we will wonder where you are. However, we will not drop you from the class. Withdrawals should follow University procedure. The student is responsible for obtaining all necessary signatures on drop slips.

Academic Misconduct

A very high price can be paid when you are caught cheating. Too high to risk. All written material must be your own composition. It is not appropriate to submit work originally completed for another course. Appropriate credit must be given for sources used in developing your ideas and arguments. You must provide appropriate citations, following APA Style guidelines. It is easy to see when large sections of text have been lifted from web pages or other sources. This is quite easy to verify as well.

NOTE: The penalties for engaging in any of these acts of academic misconduct will be determined on a case-by-case basis, but will follow general university guidelines as to severity.

Classroom Climate

Classroom climate is not solely the Professor's responsibility. We encourage each of you to engage in conversation on any issue. The University is a place for free speech, limited through individual choice. These choices may be altered with awareness of the real or potential reaction of others. However, you should not be intimidated into keeping quiet. We do not condone racist, sexist, homophobic, or other hateful speech. You are all adults, capable of understanding generally accepted rules of conduct and modifying your behavior in an effort to comply with these social or legal expectations. You are responsible for your behavior.

Final Grades

If grades are made available online, be advised that if there is any error the grade you receive from the registrar is your official grade. Grade changes will be made only in cases of data or computation error. Please do not ask, beg, or otherwise attempt to change a properly computed grade.

Course Outline and Schedule

This course outline is intended to define much of what will happen throughout this course. Changes are possible. Any changes will be clearly presented to the class and will often include class discussion. Changes will apply to all students enrolled in this course, without regard to whether they were involved in the discussion.