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General Information

Course ID (CB01A and CB01B)
PARA D025.
Course Title (CB02)
Law and Social Change
Course Credit Status
Credit - Degree Applicable
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Course Description
Exploration of the use of law as an instrument for social change. Examination of the relationship between law and social change in cross-cultural settings. Analysis of legislation, case law, the process of conflict resolution and legal institutions as they relate to social change.
Faculty Requirements
Course Family
Not Applicable

Course Justification

This course provides students with the foundation skills to understand how the law can be an instrument of social change particularly as it relates to cross-cultural settings. Students will learn how to analyze legislation and case law as they pertain to social change. This course is UC and CSU transferable and belongs on the Law Enforcement AA degree. The course is cross-listed.

Foothill Equivalency

Does the course have a Foothill equivalent?
No
Foothill Course ID

Course Philosophy

Formerly Statement

Course Development Options

Basic Skill Status (CB08)
Course is not a basic skills course.
Grade Options
  • Letter Grade
  • Pass/No Pass
Repeat Limit
0

Transferability & Gen. Ed. Options

Transferability
Transferable to both UC and CSU

Units and Hours

Summary

Minimum Credit Units
4.0
Maximum Credit Units
4.0

Weekly Student Hours

TypeIn ClassOut of Class
Lecture Hours4.08.0
Laboratory Hours0.00.0

Course Student Hours

Course Duration (Weeks)
12.0
Hours per unit divisor
36.0
Course In-Class (Contact) Hours
Lecture
48.0
Laboratory
0.0
Total
48.0
Course Out-of-Class Hours
Lecture
96.0
Laboratory
0.0
NA
0.0
Total
96.0

Prerequisite(s)

Corequisite(s)

Advisory(ies)

ESL D272. and ESL D273., or ESL D472. and ESL D473., or eligibility for EWRT D001A or EWRT D01AH or ESL D005.

Limitation(s) on Enrollment

(Not open to students with credit in the cross-listed course(s).)

(Also listed as ADMJ D025.)

Entrance Skill(s)

General Course Statement(s)

Methods of Instruction

Lecture and visual aids

Quiz and examination review in class

Guest speakers

Collaborative learning and small group discussion on course materials, assigned reading form text and other sources

Assignments

  1. Individual and/or small group presentations of course material
  2. Written term paper on a subject pertaining to class material
  3. Collaborative learning and small group exercises
  4. Assigned readings from text and other references

Methods of Evaluation

  1. Examinations, topic exercises, discussions of understanding and knowledge of legislative acts about legal institutions as they relate to social change and the process of conflict resolution and evaluated based on an established rubric..
  2. Research paper on a topic related to how laws affect social change covering an in-depth analysis of current concepts/theories and utilizing the MLA writing format evaluated according to an established rubric.

Essential Student Materials/Essential College Facilities

Essential Student Materials: 
  • None.
Essential College Facilities:
  • None.

Examples of Primary Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisherDate/EditionISBN
Lippman,M. "Law and Society", 2nd Edition, Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishing, 2017
Roach-Anleu, S.L. "Law and Social Change", 2nd Edition, Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publishing, 2010

Examples of Supporting Texts and References

AuthorTitlePublisher
Sutton, J.R. "Law/Society: Origins, Interactions, and Change" (Series text), Thousand Oaks, California: Sage-Pine Oaks Press, 2001
Hansen, R.D. and Gomila, M.D. "Multiculturalism and the Criminal Justice System", San Francisco, California: Pearson Publishing, 2015

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

Course Objectives

  • Identify and validate the major theoretical perspectives on socio-cultural change
  • Interpret and predict the major theoretical perspectives on law as a socio-cultural phenomenon
  • Describe and discuss the role of legislation and case law in socio-cultural change
  • Identify and support the role of processes of conflict resolution and major legal institutions in socio-cultural change
  • Describe and interpret the strategic use of law in socio-cultural change

CSLOs

  • Critique the relationship between law and social change within the context of cross-cultural settings.

  • Analyze the roles of legislation and case law as they pertain to socio-cultural change.

Outline

  1. Identify and validate the major theoretical perspectives on socio-cultural change
    1. Evolutionary perspective
    2. Equilibrium perspective
    3. Conflict perspective
    4. Cultural perspective
  2. Interpret and predict the major theoretical perspectives on law as a socio-cultural phenomenon
    1. Introduction and rules
    2. Sanctions
    3. Processes of dispute settlement
  3. Describe and discuss the role of legislation and case law in socio-cultural change
    1. Contemporary and historical examples
    2. The impact of Supreme Court cases
  4. Identify and support the role of processes of conflict resolution and major legal institutions in socio-cultural change
    1. The impact of Alternative Dispute Resolution
    2. The role of courts and lawyers
  5. Describe and interpret the strategic use of law in socio-cultural change
    1. The case for and against legal engineering
    2. The export of the U.S. legal system
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