TE PIRINGA FACULTY OF LAW
Intersectionalities: Race, Gender, Sexuality and the Law: 2013 Outline
1.
Identification of Paper
Paper: LAWS579 – 13A
This paper carries 30 points
2.
Staffing
Associate Professor Anna Grear
(Convenor)
Phone: 6309
Room: G40
email: agrear@waikato.ac.nz
Office Hours: Friday 2.00 – 4.00 (appointments by
email, please).
3.
Description and Structure of Paper
(a) Description of the paper in University Calendar
This is an interdisciplinary seminar that examines the legal, social and political dynamics of
the relational construction of race, gender and sexuality in the law.
(b) Structure of the Paper
General
This is an A semester paper. The teaching component comprises 12 two hour
workshops/seminars. The workshops/seminars will take place in room TT.1.05 on
Wednesdays from 09:00 till 11:00 am.
4.
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this module will be able to:
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of complex and specialised issues within the subject area,
such as an understanding of the philosophical and theoretical tensions underpinning the
law’s construction of human persons and of race, gender, sexuality – as well as the law’s
presentation of the nature of law and legal authority itself.
• Identify the conceptual challenges attending the notion of intersectionality and its
relationship/s with legal constructions of race, gender and sexuality.
• Reflect critically upon the challenges to the ‘universality’ of legal rights and norms.
• Discuss and evaluate secondary literature relating to the themes of the course in group
settings, as well as to demonstrate the independent ability to evaluate literature with
precision and insight.
• Critically analyse complex and specialised legal norms (as appropriate/relevant) in the light
of broader critical readings in relevant secondary literatures.
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• Work independently, evidencing ability to evaluate complex legal issues from perspectives
informed by intersectional analyses and/or from a perspective of race-based, gender-based
and/or sexuality-based critique. This can include a critique from the perspective of Maori
culture and other indigenous perspectives.
• Independently plan and undertake effective research on complex and specialised issues.
• Independently utilise paper and computer-based library resources.
• Think analytically and reflexively about complex materials and arguments.
• Present a well-structured, coherent and persuasive argument at both abstract and concrete
levels, both orally and in writing.
5.
Workload
Students should expect to spend 300 hours in total on this paper. In addition to workshop
attendance, significant time will need to be spent on background and complementary
reading. Students should allow for periods of more-focused research time in the preparation
of assignments and/or presentations.
6.
Required and Recommended Reading
All law students are required to purchase, for use in all law papers, a copy of McLay, Murray
and Orpin, New Zealand Law Style Guide, Thomson Reuters (2009). This is available from
Bennetts, at an approximate price of $18.90.
Students should purchase the course handbook, which contains the core reading materials
for this course.
Reading materials are to be provided on the paper site on Moodle
(http://elearn.waikato.ac.nz), the University of Waikato’s online learning system. Any such
material is provided on the following terms:
University of Waikato owns the intellectual property rights, including copyright, in and to this
site, or has acquired the necessary licenses to display the material on the site. As a student of
the Te Piringa Faculty of Law, you are granted a limited license to use (access, display or print a
single copy) the material from the papers in which you are enrolled for the purposes of
participating in the paper only, provided the information is not modified. Materials may not
under any circumstances be copied, stored, distributed or provided in any form or method
whatsoever to any third party. Any other use of the material is prohibited. None of the material
may be otherwise reproduced, reformatted, republished or re-disseminated in any manner or
form without the prior written consent of University of Waikato. To obtain such consent, please
contact the Te Piringa Faculty of Law.
7.
Online support
Online support for this paper is provided via Moodle.
8.
Assessment
a)
Requirements for assessed work
School procedures for the presentation of course work are set out in the Te Piringa Faculty of
Law
Graduate
and
Postgraduate
Handbook
which
is
available
from
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/law/graduate.
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See also paragraph 12 below on referencing guidelines and plagiarism.
Assignment resources are available online at http://www.waikato.ac.nz/law/student/
b)
Coursework: Final Examination Ratio: 100/0
c)
Assessment Components
Component
Percentage of overall mark
Due date
i) A Research Proposal
10%
19 April 2013
ii) Research Paper
90%
21 June 2013
i)
Research Proposal: the proposal should identify the chosen research topic in the
form of a question and include: a thesis statement paragraph; a list of the core
research questions; an outline of the major sections of the proposed research paper
(it’s main argumentative concerns) with a brief statement on the content of each
section, indicating its contribution to answering the central research question; and a
bibliography. The proposal would normally be around 1000 words in length. The
final date for submission of the research proposal is Thursday 19th April 2012.
ii)
The research paper may not exceed 10,000 words. Students should choose a research
question arising for them from their encounter with the subject, the readings and/or
the class discussions. (The student may, for example, choose to research one of the
questions emerging from their written reflection/s.) Students will be marked for their
ability to identify key concepts and issues relevant to their research question, their
understanding and accuracy in discussing the relevant content, their ability in
relation to critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis, their ability to develop their
thesis with appropriate depth and an appropriate balance between analysis and
description, their originality and creativity, their engagement in the research process
and the correctness of their presentation (in terms of proper footnoting, grammar,
punctuation and spelling). The research project should be submitted with a standard
cover sheet with the following information set out on it: Student ID; Paper number
and title; Name of tutor; Due date. Submission of the research paper must be via
Moodle (see below). It is not permitted to email the assignment directly to your
tutor/s.
d)
Handing in, marking time and collection
All
assignments
must
be
submitted
electronically
through
Moodle
(http://elearn.waikato.ac.nz). See Te Piringa Faculty of Law Graduate and Postgraduate
Handbook, available at http://www.waikato.ac.nz/law/graduate. Where practical, it is the
policy of Te Piringa Faculty of Law to return marked work to students within five weeks of
submission. The final date for the submission of the research paper is Wednesday 20th
June 2012.
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If you require assistance with Moodle, or encounter any problems, please contact the Help
Desk. You can send a message to Help Desk by using the instant message service in your
paper’s Moodle site (from the participants list within the People block). Alternatively, you can
email them directly at help@waikato.ac.nz or call 838 4008.
e)
Measurement of Achievement
Achievement in assignments and presentations will be measured in terms of levels of
understanding and knowledge gained, in terms of the originality and the sophistication of
analysis provided, in terms of coherent and logical structure, and in terms of the fluency and
accuracy of expression and referencing.
f)
Management of assessment deadlines, process for requesting extensions and special
consideration, and for appeals
i)
Extensions
Students are required to complete and submit all internal assessment by specified dates. The
meeting of deadlines is a mark of professionalism and its enforcement is essential for fairness
to all students taking the paper. Handing in course work on or before the due in date also
facilitates the timely return of marked work by academic staff. Students should meet
requirements as to time deadlines for course work, or make a request for an extension or
special consideration in appropriate circumstances (see Graduate Programmes Manual
available
from
the
School
of
Law
Graduate
website
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/law/graduate/.) Failure to comply with requirements as to the
time deadlines for internal assessment without having successfully applied either for an
extension or special consideration with supporting evidence before the due date will result in
deduction of 2.5 marks for each day the work is late. Lateness of more than a week may
result in the work not being marked. No deadlines may be extended beyond two weeks after
the last teaching day of the semester(s) in which the paper is taught as final grades must go to
the Board of Examiners at this time. Unless an extension in writing has been granted, a
lecturer may refuse to accept a piece of work which is submitted after the specified date, and
automatically award it no mark, or may lower the mark as a penalty for lateness.
Applications for extension, on the form obtainable from the Resource Room, must be
submitted to the Convenor of the course. Extensions will be granted only on evidence of
illness, family bereavement, or serious personal accidents or circumstances. Please note that
too many assignments due at the same time is NOT an acceptable reason, neither are claims
that computers and/or printers have crashed. Account will be taken of the time in which the
student has had to complete the assessment before the supervening event occurred. It will be
important to consider if the grant of the extension will give the student in question an unfair
advantage over other students. A maximum period of 14 days will be given as an extension
unless there are exceptional circumstances. In determining applications the Convenor or
lecturer of the relevant paper may consult with the Chief Examiner or nominee.
ii)
Special Consideration
The Assessment Regulations 2005 as set out in the University Calendar 2012 list in detail the
university-wide policies and procedures, which apply concerning missed examinations,
impaired performance or impaired preparation time for an examination, and missed or
impaired course work. Students are responsible for ensuring that they comply with these
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regulations. Application forms for special consideration for internal assessment are available
from the Resource Room.
iii)
Appeals (University Calendar 2012, Assessment Regulations 2005, Reg. 24)
A student may appeal against any decision taken under these regulations.
An appeal, comprising a written statement of the circumstances of the appeal, together with
supporting evidence if available, must be submitted by the student in writing to the Director
of Student & Academic Services not more than seven days after the date on which notification
of the relevant decision is received.
Appeals under this section are considered and decided by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor by
delegated authority of the Academic Programmes Committee.
A decision by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor is notified in writing, and is final.
9.
University Calendar Regulations and Policies
Your attention is drawn to the following regulations and policies, which are published in the
University Calendar 2012:
Assessment Regulations 2005
Student Discipline Regulations 2008
Computer Systems Regulations 2005
Policy on the Use of Māori for Assessment
Student Research Regulations 2008
Ethical Conduct in Human Research and Related Activities Regulations 2008.
10.
Links to other papers
This paper links to all law papers, directly or indirectly.
11.
Fees
Refer to http://calendar.waikato.ac.nz/admission/tableoffeesandcharges.html.
12.
(a)
(b)
Referencing guidelines and caution against plagiarism
Referencing must be in accordance with the New Zealand Law Style Guide.
All written work submitted for the purposes of assessment must be your own work.
Copying or paraphrasing all or part of another person’s work, be it published or
unpublished, without clear attribution, is plagiarism. Plagiarism is misconduct and is
dealt with under the disciplinary procedures of the University as outlined in the
Student Discipline Regulations 2008 in the University Calendar.
“Plagiarism means presenting as one’s own work the work of another, and includes the
copying or paraphrasing of another person’s work in an assessment item without
acknowledging it as the other person’s work through full and accurate referencing; it applies
to assessment presented through a written, spoken, electronic, broadcasting, visual,
performance or other medium.” See section 3, Assessment Regulations (2012 Calendar)
Unless approved otherwise by the examiners of the papers concerned, a student must not
submit as assessment material that is substantially the same as material submitted as
assessment for a different paper.
(c)
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The Te Piringa Faculty of Law’s policy regarding plagiarism is contained in the Te
Piringa Faculty of Law Graduate and Post-Graduate Handbook and the Te Piringa
Faculty
of
Law
Graduate
Programmes
http://www.waikato.ac.nz/law/graduate/.
Manual,
available
from
13.
Health and safety
The Law School’s Health and Safety representative is Ms Alison Saunders who is in Room Law
G44 at ext 4167.
14.
Class representation
At the commencement of the semester, a class representative will be elected by the students
in Intersectionalities. This representative is encouraged to communicate regularly with the
Convenor. Students in this paper are encouraged to liaise with their representative to discuss
issues of concern. Contact details for the Student Representation Coordinator, Academic
Services Division, are as follows: Samantha Whittle, Student Services, ext. 6264, CHSSG.25
email: student.reps@waikato.ac.nz
15.
Complaints procedures
The brochure Student Concerns and Complaints Policy provides details of the University’s
process for handling concerns and complaints and is available from Faculty and School
Offices, The Gateway and Student Services Division and is contained in the Calendar 2011.
See also the document Student Support Structure at Te Piringa Faculty of Law, available from
the Resource Room.
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Workshop Schedule
Workshop Schedule A Semester
Week Commencing
Programme of workshop topics
25 February
Laying the Groundwork: Tools in the
Analysis of Argument
4 March
Mapping Intersectionalities I
11 March
Mapping Intersectionalities II
18 March
Confronting Law I
25 March
Confronting Law II
1 April
Confronting Law III
8 April
Beyond Intersectionality 1
15 April
22 April
Teaching Recess
(Deadline for submission of research
proposal: 19th April.
Teaching Recess
29 April
Beyond Intersectionality II
6 May
Beyond Intersectionality III
13 May
Alternative Pathways I
20 May
Alternative Pathways II
27 May
Alternative Pathways II
3 June (6 June Queen’s Birthday)
Final Critical Review Session
(Final submission deadline for Research
Paper = 21 June 2013).
12 June
19 June
Examinations
26 June
Examinations
3 July
Teaching Recess
7
10 July
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Teaching Recess/Enrolment