Spring 2025 - POL 421W D100
Rights, Equality, and the Charter (4)
Class Number: 3883
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 6 – Apr 9, 2025: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Clare McGovern
cmcgover@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms has been part of the Canadian constitution for over 35 years. We assess the Charter's effectiveness in protecting human rights and equality within Canada and its effect on the wider political system. Students with credit for POL 428 Selected Topics in Canadian Government and Politics I under the title The Charter of Rights may not take this course for further credit. Students with credit for POL 421 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
COURSE DETAILS:
Course Description:
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms has been part of the Canadian constitution for over 40 years. This course will assess the Charter’s impact on the political system and introduce students to Charter case-law. In the first part of the course, we will ask how Canadian courts decide rights cases. We will focus on how rights have evolved and how courts balance rights and freedoms against the public interest. You will read the Charter itself and Charter cases, giving you skills in interpreting legal texts, and applying legal principles to individual cases.
In the second part of the course, we consider the Charter as a fundamental shift in the constitutional system – moving power from politicians to the courts. The final few weeks of the course will be devoted to your research, which may be either legal analysis of case-law or social science research on the political effects of the Charter.
There will be a 3-hour in-person seminar each week, with students expected to take the lead in discussing the week’s reading and each other’s work.
Grading
- Please see the chart below. 100%
NOTES:
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Objective |
Evaluation |
% of course grade |
|
Understanding legal debates about Charter rights, and assessing the Charter’s impact on the political system |
Participation in seminar discussion (every week) Leading discussion, in pairs (once) |
10% 10% |
|
Developing legal, research and professional skills: i) Reading legal cases iii) Giving feedback on others’ research iv) Communicating research findings |
|
10%
15%
|
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
There is no textbook for this course. Readings will be academic articles and legal cases available on-line or posted on Canvas.
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
SFU’s Academic Integrity website 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
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.