When is a wedding a legal marriage? How does the law define domestic abuse? When can the state remove children from their parents' care? Why is someone considered a legal parent in the first place?
You will consider these questions and more by learning about how law interacts with important aspects of personal life in the legal construction of families and responses to family problems. English family law is an exciting and fast-paced area of law. Many issues have undergone significant reform in recent years (marriage, civil partnerships, domestic abuse, child protection, adoption, divorce, child arrangements) and/or are currently the subject of major debates or reform proposals (cohabitation, weddings law, surrogacy, financial separation, child arrangements – again!). You will not only learn about what the law is, but also examine its underpinning policies and the socio-political context in which it operates.
Throughout the module you will encounter recurring themes and concepts, such as the role of state intervention versus private ordering; individual or family autonomy; equality, rights and responsibilities within families; the priority and meaning given to child welfare; and strong norms and expectations attaching to gender, biology and heterosexual relationships. The extent to which English family law is inclusive of minority or disadvantaged groups in society will also be examined.
Lectures 16 hours, Workshop/Seminars 16 hours
Extended writing. Assessment Details: Short Essay (1000 words) worth 30% of the total marks for the module.
Extended writing. Assessment Details: Essay (2500 words) worth 70% of the total marks for the module.
Reassessment Method: Like-for-like
For reading lists see the detailed module information on moodle
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) Critically explain the concepts, principles, policies, issues, debates and legal doctrine associated with various areas of family law;
2) Identify the ideological and policy underpinnings of family law; and critically evaluate how well the policies and law work in practice;
3) Apply critical thinking when discussing issues, problems and scenarios in family law;
4) Evaluate conflicting decisions and viewpoints about various areas of family law;
5) Communicate observations, ideas and opinions about family law persuasively and with conviction.
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