Program Overview

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Programmes

The University of Hong Kong's Department of Sociology offers various programmes for students.

Undergraduate Programmes

• Criminology Major/Minor
• Media & Cultural Studies Major/Minor
• Sociology Major/Minor

Taught Postgraduate Programmes

• MSocSc Criminology
• MSocSc Media, Culture & Creative Cities
• MSocSc Sociology

MPhil / PhD Sociology

The Department of Sociology also offers MPhil and PhD programmes in Sociology.

Research

The Department of Sociology is involved in various research projects and clusters, including:

• Research Projects
• Research Clusters
• Centre for Criminology
• Global Society and Sustainability Lab

Courses

The Department of Sociology offers a range of courses, including:

SOCI3046 Sociology of Law

Course Description

This course introduces students to the Sociology of Law, exploring law as a complex social phenomenon shaped by and shaping the societies in which it exists. The course is divided into four sections, examining foundational and contemporary theories, the emergence of law from social processes, and the intersection of law, power, and inequality.

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Critically engage with major theories in Sociology of Law and compare how they conceptualize the relationship between law and society.
2. Analyze law as a social institution that shapes and is shaped by political, cultural, and economic contexts.
3. Evaluate the impact of law on social order, inequality, identity, and power by applying the insights of classical and contemporary thinkers.
4. Think critically and comparatively about legal practices across liberal, socialist, and developing societies, with a particular focus on Hong Kong and Asia.
5. Apply sociological analysis to assess how legal systems respond to global and technological change.

Assessment

• Written Paper: 40%
• Lecture and Tutorial Participation: 20%
• Examination: 40%

Required Reading

Each week, there will be two or three key article or chapter length readings that students must complete in preparation for small group discussions. Recommended texts include:

• Calavita, K. (2016). Invitation to Law & Society: An Introduction to the Study of Real Law (Second Edition). University of Chicago Press.
• Hirsch, M. (2015). Invitation to the Sociology of International Law (First Edition). Oxford University Press.
• Milovanovic, D. (2022). An Introduction to the Sociology of Law (Fourth Edition). Carolina Academic Press.
• Treviño, A. J. (2017). The Sociology of Law: Classical and Contemporary Perspectives. Routledge.

Recommended Reading

Students are encouraged to keep up-to-date with relevant research on politics, crime, and justice, as well as with media coverage of criminological issues throughout the course. Recommended journals include:

• Asian Journal of Criminology
• Crime, Law, and Social Change
• Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Criminology and Public Policy
• Global Crime
• International Journal of the Sociology of Law
• Journal of Criminal Justice
• Justice Quarterly
• Law and Policy
• Law and Society Review

Course Co-ordinator and Teachers

The course co-ordinator and teacher is Dr Mike Sadler, Part-time Lecturer.

Offer Semester

The course is offered in the 1st semester, on Mondays, from 13:00 to 14:50, at CPD-G.02, and is worth 6 credits.