Fall 2020 - POL 151 D100

Justice and Law (3)

Class Number: 7155

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: TBA, TBA
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Oct 19, 2020
    Mon, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Dec 16, 2020
    Wed, 5:29–5:29 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The development of laws and their application to the citizen and social groups. Special consideration will be given to civil liberties. Breadth-Social Sciences.

COURSE DETAILS:

Why does Canada have a medically assisted death program? Why do the courts have a role in deciding if the Trans-Mountain Pipeline is expanded? This course will answer these questions by introducing you to the constitutional system in Canada, and the influence that the courts have over government policy. We will start by learning the structure of the court system, and the role of judges, asking how the courts have responded to the COVID pandemic. In the second part of the course we will focus on how politicians interact with the courts. On the one hand, Parliament and the Cabinet oversee the criminal justice system; on the other the courts enforce limits on what governments can do. We will see how judges act as umpires in disputes between the federal and provincial governments. We will also learn about the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, asking how effective courts are at protecting individuals’ rights against the state. Throughout the course, we will focus on recent cases before the Supreme Court of Canada, concerning medically assisted death and immigration policy.

Course Format:

Each week, there will be a 1.5-hour lecture; this will be pre-recorded so you can listen at a time you choose.

There will also be an on-line tutorial every two weeks, via Zoom. You will prepare for this by posting on discussion boards on the course website.

Grading

  • Tutorial Participation (online and posting on discussion boards) 10%
  • Mid-term 15%
  • News story analysis 5%
  • Written Assignment 1 (Think-piece) 20%
  • Written Assignment 2 (Report on a legal case) 15%
  • Take-home Final Exam due on Dec. 16th at 5:29 PM 35%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Hausegger, Lori, Matthew Hennigar and Troy Riddell. (2015). Canadian Courts: Law, Politics and Process 2nd ed. Oxford University Press.  Available at the SFU Bookstore’s online ordering system.


ISBN: 9780199002498  

Plus legal cases and journal articles, available online (see syllabus).


Department Undergraduate Notes:

The Department of Political Science strictly enforces a policy on plagiarism.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).