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Course

Strategic Public Advocacy for Civil Society - LAWS3315

Faculty: Faculty of Law

School: Faculty of Law

Course Outline: See below

Campus: Kensington Campus

Career: Undergraduate

Units of Credit: 6

EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)

Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 4

Enrolment Requirements:

Pre-requisite: Crime & Criminal Process (LAWS1021/JURD7121) & Criminal Laws (LAWS1022/JURD7122) OR Crim. Law 1 (LAWS1001/JURD7101) & Crim. Law 2 (LAWS1011/JURD7111). Co-requisite: Litigation 1 [LAWS2311/ JURD7211] OR Res. Civil Disp. (LAWS2371/JURD7271)

Equivalent: JURD7315, JURD7317, LAWS3317

Excluded: JURD7315

CSS Contribution Charge: 3 (more info)

Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule

Further Information: See Class Timetable

View course information for previous years.

Description

Civil society, non-government organisation (NGOs), community and not-for-profit organisations are playing an increasingly important role in society, both nationally and internationally. At the same time, the place of this sector in the democratic process is also a contested area – a fact that is explored in the course. Legal practitioners, particularly in the civil society sector, are often called upon to lead, or contribute to public advocacy campaigns, and because of the increasing significance of the sector, their work on behalf of their organisations and stakeholders needs to be of a high professional and ethical standard. The course aims to provide the skills required to conduct public advocacy campaigns, in the context of a pluralistic democratic model, as well as developing students' ability to critically evaluate the public policy process. It also provides an introduction to the theoretical framework of democratic models, which are being contested in Australia today.

Note: The course LAWS 3317 Strategic Public Advocacy for Civil Society (4 UOC) will be taught in conjunction with this course during the first 3 days.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

For students to acquire:
  • Basic knowledge of how to develop and deliver public advocacy campaigns
  • Relevant practical skills, such as writing media releases, lobby documents, and campaign plans
  • Knowledge of legal, political, and informational tools to assist in developing and delivering successful public advocacy campaigns
  • The ability to strategically evaluate public advocacy campaigns
  • The ability to critically analyse of the public advocacy process in Australia
  • An understanding of the role of civil society in a democracy, and of different contested models of democracy

Main Topics

  • Theories of democracy and how they relate to civil society
  • Methods of defining civil society and the significance of the sector in Australia today
  • Introduction to a planning template for developing a successful public advocacy campaign. Combining this project management approach with dynamic creativity.
  • Critical examination of two major campaigns in the areas of environment and international development
  • Lobbying – how to do it. Federal Government mechanism relevant to affecting the public policy process.
  • The media, freedom of the press in Australia and writing a media release
  • Public opinion polling, FOI, whistleblower legislation, SLAPP writs
  • Using information technology for advocacy
  • Use of international human rights mechanisms to further domestic advocacy campaigns
  • Assessing the effectiveness of public advocacy campaigns

Assessment

Class participation (20%)
Take-home exam (20%)
In-class test (15%)
Essay (45%)

Course Texts

Prescribed
A course reader will be distributed at the first class. As well, supplementary material may be supplied throughout the course. Because of the cross-disciplinary nature of the course, there is no set textbook.

Recommended
Students are encouraged to read widely, in the light of the template that makes up the core of the course, in administrative law, media studies, public relations, political science, and public interest litigation. A list of recommended readings will be available in the full course outline.

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Study Levels

Undergraduate Study Postgraudate Study Postgraduate Research Study Non-Award Study

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