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Unit Summary

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit

Credit points

12

AQF level

7

Level of learning

Advanced

Former School/College

Former School of Law and Justice

Pre-requisites

96 credit points in any SCU units

Unit aim

Explores the theory and practice of community activism and social change with an emphasis on the intersection of law with these areas of social engagement and provides students with a broad based introduction to the skills and techniques necessary to bring about useful social change in a highly corporatised and technocratic society.

Unit content

Topic 1 Activism, advocacy and practice of democracy
Topic 2 Building successful social movements
Topic 3 Strategies: The art of advocacy
Topic 4 Mapping and planning successful campaigns
Topic 5 Media, publicity and research
Topic 6 Public sector advocacy: How to change the law and influence government policy
Topic 7 Corporate advocacy and activism
Topic 8 Direct action, protest and your rights
Topic 9 Digital activism
Topic 10 Public interest litigation
Topic 11 Social change and conflict resolution
Topic 12 Empowerment and personal sustainability

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

GA1: , GA2: , GA3: , GA4: , GA5: , GA6: , GA7:
On completion of this unit, students should be able to: GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 Describe the key features of legislative, judicial and administrative decision making in Australia;
2 Explain the nature of public interest advocacy as a field of work and practice;
3 Demonstrate an awareness of the principal tools of public interest advocacy including litigation, communication, organisation, protest, use of the media and dispute resolution;
4 Develop effective strategies for public interest advocacy in relation to specific public interest issues.
5 Work effectively in groups on processes related to strategic planning and advocacy
6 Utilise a variety of advocacy techniques and tools in the context of public interest work

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. Describe the key features of legislative, judicial and administrative decision making in Australia;
    • GA4:
  2. Explain the nature of public interest advocacy as a field of work and practice;
    • GA4:
  3. Demonstrate an awareness of the principal tools of public interest advocacy including litigation, communication, organisation, protest, use of the media and dispute resolution;
    • GA4:
  4. Develop effective strategies for public interest advocacy in relation to specific public interest issues.
    • GA2:
  5. Work effectively in groups on processes related to strategic planning and advocacy
    • GA2:
    • GA6:
  6. Utilise a variety of advocacy techniques and tools in the context of public interest work
    • GA2:
    • GA6: