Summer 2021 - POL 324 D100

The Canadian Constitution (4)

Class Number: 3329

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 12 – Aug 9, 2021: TBA, TBA
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Aug 12, 2021
    Thu, 5:00–5:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An analysis of the Canadian constitution from a theoretical and comparative perspective. Amendment, entrenchment, civil rights.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course sheds light on the interplay between formal and informal constitutional rules, between law and politics. Students considering law school will benefit from this introduction to constitutional law, and others will gain insights into how Canada's constitution works in theory and practice. You will learn about the vast discretion judges have, the principles they use in their decisions, and the shifting interpretations they have given to Canada’s constitutional documents. The central focus will be on the division of responsibility for specific areas of public policy between the federal and provincial governments. The course will also explore constitutional conventions, the informal rules that dramatically modify how some of the formal rules operate in practice. You should take away from this course an appreciation of how intertwined politics and law are, both in the work of judges and in the rules governing Canada’s political actors.

COURSE ORGANIZATION

The class will run asynchronously with recorded video lectures, in addition to weekly synchronous tutorials (beginning in Week 2).  Please refer to scheduled days/times for tutorials.

A synchronous midterm and take-home final exam will be held, schedule TBA.

Grading

  • Mid-term exam * 10%
  • Term paper * 45%
  • Tutorial participation 15%
  • Final take-home exam * 30%

NOTES:

* Students are required to submit their written assignments to the Turnitin.com service in order to get credit.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Monahan, B. Shaw, & P. Ryan, Constitutional Law, 5th Edition
ISBN: 9781552214411

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 SUMMER 2021

Teaching at SFU in summer 2021 will be conducted primarily through remote methods, but we will continue to have in-person experiential activities for a selection of courses.  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).