Subjects 2007
Citizens, Groups and States in Asia 730800
- Credited Courses: Graduate Diploma in Asian Law 726; Graduate Diploma in Asian Law 726; Graduate Diploma in Asian Law 726; Graduate Diploma in International Law 323; Graduate Diploma in International Law 323; Graduate Diploma in International Law 323; Graduate Diploma in International Law 323; Graduate Diploma in Islamic Legal Studies 892; Graduate Diploma in Islamic Legal Studies 892; Graduate Diploma in Transnational Law 333; Graduate Diploma in Transnational Law 333; Graduate Diploma in Transnational Law 333; Master of Law and Development 635; Master of Law and Development 635; Master of Law and Development 635; Master of Law and Development 635; Master of Laws (LLM) 502; Master of Laws (LLM) 502; Master of Laws by Coursework (LLM) 502; Master of Laws by Coursework (LLM) 502; Master of Laws by Coursework and Minor Thesis 502; Master of Legal Systems 890; Master of Legal Systems 890; Master of Legal Systems 890; Master of Public and International Law 511; Master of Public and International Law 511; Master of Public and International Law 511; Master of Public and International Law 511
Objectives
A candidate who has successfully completed the subject should:
- Be able to describe the historical development of, and current ideas about, civil society in the Western political tradition
- Be able to evaluate the applicability of differing ideas about civil society in contemporary Asian societies
- Be able to discuss critically the extent to which the concept of civil society has utility in studying transformation in Asian states
- Be able to describe and analyse the legal constructions and changing roles of civil society organisations in Asia – in particular organisations promoting civic engagement; the mass media; organisations to protect and promote the interests of workers; and legal professional associations
- Understand and be able to describe the ways in which state law reflects social issues, implements policy and orders the activities of, and relations between, individuals, civil society organisations and the state in Asian jurisdictions studied in this subject
- Demonstrate a capacity to locate and critically evaluate laws regulating civil society and civil society organisations
- Demonstrate a capacity to locate and critically evaluate materials about, and also generated by, civil society organisations in Asia.
Syllabus
This subject analyses the concept of civil society as it relates to the legal systems of states in North-East and South-East Asia. Principal topics will include:
- Introduction to and critique of the concept of civil society and its applicability in contemporary Asian states
- How the concept of civil society is understood and experienced in some of the states in the Asian region including China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Vietnam
- Gender relations
- Citizenship and its boundaries
- Technologies of political communication
- The functions of court systems
- Labour organisations
- Professional organisations such as lawyers' and bar associations
- Other civil society organisations.
