Are you interested in exploring emerging issues and concepts in the law industry? Presented by esteemed guest lecturers and experts, our Law & Justice Special Topics courses are an opportunity to discover exciting new topics not usually offered at UNSW.
Each term, you'll have the opportunity to participate in unique, one-off courses that cover a range of exciting topics and specialties.
If you enrol in one of these courses, the full title of the course (including the name of the special topic) will be shown on your transcript.
Check out the courses on offer in Term 2 and Term 3 2025 below! From the US legal system to marine insurance law and European private law, there's something for every interest.
Special Courses in Term 2 2025
Special Topics in Sociolegal Studies: Land, Law and Dispossession
In this course taught by visiting expert Dr Sarah Keenan from Queen Mary University of London, you’ll gain a critical understanding of the legal processes and social and political effects of making land into property.
The course aims to:
- Introduce some of the major legal, political and theoretical issues associated with land law reforms and regimes which dispossession particular populations.
- Give a historical grounding in the enclosure and marketization of land throughout the common law world and highlight the legal mechanisms through which this took place (including legal forms relating to land imposed through colonialism, development and financial securitisation).
- Develop knowledge and understanding of the populations dispossessed through land enclosure and marketization, as well as the tools to critically evaluate the relationship between land, law and dispossession (including critical theories of property, legal geography and settler colonial theory).
Sarah Keenan joined Queen Mary University of London School of Law in September 2024, after having held academic posts at Birkbeck, SOAS and Oxford Brookes. At Birkbeck Sarah co-founded the Centre for Research on Race and Law. They have held visiting fellowships at the LSE, Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, Institute for Advanced Legal Studies, University of British Columbia, Osgoode Hall Law School, City University of New York Graduate Centre, University of Melbourne Law School and University of Wollongong School of Law.
Sarah’s work sits at the intersection of legal and political thought, geography, feminist theory and postcolonial studies. They are particularly interested in the malleability of the concept of property and how it might reshaped for a better world.
Contemporary Issues in Commercial Law: Marine Insurance Law
Taught by visiting expert Professor Özlem Gürses from King’s College London, enrol in LAWS8851 Contemporary Issues in Commercial Law to learn about:
- The principles of marine insurance and how a marine insurance contract can be formed,
- what common perils are insured and excluded from marine insurance contracts,
- what the ‘proximate cause’ means and why it is significant in every marine insurance claim,
- what specialist terms are used in the contract,
- what duties are imposed on the assured, and
- what consequences follow in case the assured fails to comply with them.
Contemporary Issues in Sociolegal Studies: AI and Automated Decision Making
LAWS8854
In this course taught by visiting expert Ola Al Khatib from Utrecht University, you’ll gain a critical understanding the European regulation of AI and automated decision-making, particularly in government decisions.
The course aims to:
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Master Algorithm Use: Develop a comprehensive understanding of how algorithms are utilized by administrative authorities within the EU.
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Gain In-Depth Knowledge: Independently and swiftly grasp the functioning of algorithmic tools and the associated Rule of Law challenges.
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Understand Legislative Frameworks: Acquire a solid understanding of the key legislative frameworks governing algorithmic decision-making in the EU.
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Explore Broader Implications: Analyze the implications of algorithmic decision-making beyond Europe and in various contexts.
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Bridge Theory and Practice: Examine how legal norms are applied in practice, leveraging knowledge of algorithmic decision-making tools.
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Enhance Communication Skills: Effectively articulate legal norms to both specialists and non-specialists and propose strategies to address legal protection challenges.
Special Courses in Term 3 2025
Contemporary Issues in Global Law: US Legal System
Taught by visiting expert Professor Ray Campbell, from Peking University School of Transnational Law, enrol in LAWS8853 Contemporary Issues in Global Law for an introduction to the United States legal system from a global perspective, looking at the foundations of US Law and Governance, and practical aspects of the US legal system that are relevant to international legal practice.
Contemporary Issues in Commercial Law: Tax Treaties & Multilateral Obligations
Taught by Associate Professor Yan Xu, LAWS8851 Contemporary Issues in Commercial Law to learn about Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs), focusing on their principles, application, and the models underpinning them.
Contemporary Issues in Public Law: Foundations of Public Law
Co-delivered by Dr Harry Hobbs and Professor Rosalind Dixon, enrol in LAWS8852 Contemporary Issues in Public Law to learn about comparative constitutional law with an emphasis on Australia and an exploration of key emerging issues.