Sociology Of Law

1. Define Law and Sociology
2. Explain the relationship between Law, Custom, and Morality
3. Understand the problem of law enforcement against the background of Sociology
4. Understand the Nigerian Legal System
5. Apply sociological theories to legal problems

13 weeks, about 70 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Module 1: Introduction to Sociology of Law

   • Unit 1: Defining Sociology · 3 hours

     Read the introduction to Sociology. Understand the etymological meaning of sociology. Distinguish sociology from other behavioral sciences.

   • Unit 2: What is Law · 3 hours

     Understand the meaning of law. Differentiate law from other rules. Attempt a formal definition of law.

2. Week 2Module 1: Introduction to Sociology of Law

   • Unit 3: The Necessity of Law · 3 hours

     Understand the necessity of law in society. Examine the debate about the necessity of law. Consider the philosophical issue of human nature.

   • Unit 4: What is Sociology of Law · 3 hours

     Learn the meaning of sociology of law. Grasp the full meaning of sociology of law. Learn about the emergence of sociology of law.

3. Week 3Module 2: Concepts of Law

   • Unit 1: Consensus Theories of Law · 3 hours

     State the basic assumptions of Consensus/Functionalist theories of law. Name proponents of Consensus theories of law. Critique Consensus theories of law.

   • Unit 2: Conflict Theories of Law · 3 hours

     State the basic assumptions of Conflict theories of law. Name exponents of the conflict perspective on law. Compare Consensus and Conflict theories of law.

4. Week 4Module 2: Concepts of Law

   • Unit 3: The Natural Law School of Jurisprudence · 3 hours

     State the major propositions of the Natural Law School of Jurisprudence. Understand the various dimensions of natural law. Demonstrate its relevance for modern day legal organization.

   • Unit 4: The Analytical/Positivist School of Jurisprudence · 3 hours

     State the major postulations of the positivist school of jurisprudence. Name the major exponents of the school. Demonstrate the relevance of the school for modern conceptions of law.

5. Week 5Module 2: Concepts of Law

   • Unit 5: The Historical School of Jurisprudence · 3 hours

     State the major propositions of the historical school of Jurisprudence. Mention some of the major exponents of the school and their contributions. Demonstrate the relevance of the school for modern conceptualizations of the phenomena of law.

   • Unit 6: The Sociological School of Jurisprudence · 3 hours

     State the major propositions of the sociological school of Jurisprudence. Specify the major contributions of the major exponents of the school. Demonstrate the relevance of the school for present day conceptualisations of law.

6. Week 6Module 3: The Relation Of Law To Selected Concepts

   • Unit 1: The Relation of Law to Morality · 4 hours

     Distinguish law from morality. Identify areas of commonality and divergence between law and morality. Demonstrate when law and morals can reinforce or undermine each other.

7. Week 7Module 3: The Relation Of Law To Selected Concepts

   • Unit 2: The Relation of Law to Custom · 4 hours

     Analyse the relationship between law and custom. Identify areas of commonalities and differences between the two concepts. Predict the future relationship between law and custom.

8. Week 8Module 3: The Relation Of Law To Selected Concepts

   • Unit 3: The Relation of Law to Force · 4 hours

     Analyse the relationship between law and force. Describe the different forms of "Force". Understand that law must ultimately be backed by force.

9. Week 9Module 3: The Relation Of Law To Selected Concepts

   • Unit 4: The Relation of Law to Justice · 4 hours

     Understand the relationship between law and justice. Identify and explain at least two or more important forms of justice. Demonstrate ways in which law may be used to achieve purposes other than justice.

10. Week 10Module 3: The Relation Of Law To Selected Concepts

    • Unit 5: The Relation of Law to Freedom · 4 hours

      Understand how law expands freedom even while seeming to restrict it. Specify at least six fundamental rights and show their limitations. Analyse the relation of law to freedom.

11. Week 11Module 3: The Relation Of Law To Selected Concepts

    • Unit 6: Law and the Rule of Law · 4 hours

      Understand the meaning of the rule of law. Identify the components of rule of law. Describe the extent to which Nigeria meets the requirements of rule of law.

12. Week 12Module 4: The Nigerian Legal System

    • Unit 1: The Pre-Colonial Legal Order of Nigeria: Southern Nigeria (Prior to 1861) · 4 hours

      Describe the main features of the pre-colonial legal order in Southern Nigeria. Demarcate the various types of laws. Understand that pre-colonial African societies had their own systems of justice.

    • Unit 2: The Pre-Colonial Legal Order of Nigeria: Northern Nigeria · 4 hours

      Describe the main features of the pre-colonial legal order of northern Nigeria. Delineate the various types of laws and highlight their contents in pre-colonial northern Nigeria. Understand the basic features of the Sharia legal system.

13. Week 13Module 4: The Nigerian Legal System

    • Unit 3: The Colonial Legal Order of Nigeria: 1861 to September 1960 · 4 hours

      Describe the main features of the pre-colonial legal order of Nigeria. Specify the important legal developments that occurred during the colonial period. Understand that the British colonialists were more interested in instituting a legal system that suited their ways of life.

    • Unit 4: The Post-Colonial Legal Order of Nigeria: 1960-to-Date · 4 hours

      Understand that Nigeria has a modern legal system fashioned along the lines of the English legal system. Specify some of the more important changes in the legal system that occurred after independence. Compare the post colonial with the pre-colonial legal system of Nigeria.