From the iconography of the Roman Empire to the coat of arms in a courtroom, from the Renaissance to the Internet, visual media have been integral to the expression and communication of legal ideas. Studying works of visual art allows us to get under the skin of our legal values and legal ideologies. And while artists have turned the spirit of justice and the power of the law into visual form, they have also been prominent critics of it. Injustice and suffering are given a vivid presence and an emotional weight through the visual arts, in ways that has often led the law to be fearful of its capacity to disturb and challenge us.

This course introduces students to a flourishing new area of interdisciplinary study. It offers an overview of key texts introducing theories and methods in law and visual studies. The course then explores a diverse range of topical case studies that examine law through art and art through law; including Justice, Power, Ideology, Colonialism, Environment, and War. Students undertake a journey from the Ghazi Stadium in Kabul, to the Supreme Court of Mexico, from nineteenth century Van Diemen’s Land to contemporary Australian masterworks. In the process we will learn to see both law and art through different eyes, transforming forever what and how they mean. It is offered at both 2000 level and 4000 level and is suitable both for students taking courses in the School of Art as part of their Arts degree, and in the College of Law as part of their Law degree.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Synthesise, evaluate and compare a complex variety of textual and visual sources from a range of different disciplines and genres, and critically analyse their strategies, blind spots, problems, and effects.
2. Differentiate and appraise research and methods in the fields of legal theory, law, visual studies and art history, with specific reference to the case studies chosen during the course to illustrate these fields.
3. Evaluate and critically reflect on scholarship and critical approaches to law and justice as these are raised, explored, and depicted in both historical and contemporary visual materials.
4. Explore and synthesise key contemporary debates shared across the disciplines of law and visual studies including sovereignty, ideology, aesthetics, iconography, and identity.
5. Develop independent research skills by planning, and executing advanced interdisciplinary scholarship and research in the area of law and visual studies.

Research-Led Teaching

The course reflects pioneering research conducted by both teachers in this course in the field of law and visual studies. It marks a unique collaboration between two key figures in the field and brings their work into important new dialogue.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Extensions late submission and penalties - https://law.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-procedures/extensions-late-submission-and-penalties

Deferred examination: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/deferred-examinations

Special consideration: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/special-assessment-consideration

Penalties for excess word length: https://law.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-procedures/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties

Distribution of Grades Policy: Effective from Winter Session and Second Semester 2018 (and until further notice), the current Grading Distribution Policy has been suspended pending the development of a new policy. For further information about this interim policy please see: https://law.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-procedures/grading

Further Information about the Course: is available from the course WATTLE page. Students are required to access the WATTLE site regularly throughout the course for details on weekly classes and any announcements relating to the course.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Visual Studies - Theory and Method I
2	Visual Studies - Theory and Method II
3	Law and Visual Studies	Short Responses can be submitted any week from now until the end of the teaching modality for this course.
4	A Laboratory for the End of the World
5	Space and Time
6	The Sight of Justice
7	Colonialism I - Art Law and History	Group project due
8	Colonialism II - Art as Legal Critique
9	Aesthetics, Politics, and Law
10	Contemporary Work in Law and Visual Studies
11	Images of the Modern World I - Environment
12	Images of the Modern World II - War	Major essay due at end of teaching period for second semester

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Short Response Essay	20 %	*	15/09/2020	1, 2, 3
Group Presentation	15 %	17/08/2020	31/08/2020	1, 2, 3
Final Research Essay	65 %	05/11/2020	05/12/2020	1, 2, 3, 4, 5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

This course will be a small seminar style course taught in 3 hour blocks on a semi intensive basis (for a total of 6 weeks only).

Assessment Task 1

Short Response Essay

Details of Task: The short response essay will test critical ability, writing ability, and comprehension. Students will be asked to provide ONE short essay in response to a specific question which will relate to the set texts and readings, from a series of questions. The questions will focus on the student's ability to articulate, illustrate, and if possible critique specific concepts in the readings, and to relate it to the relevant text. Students will be required to submit only one response to satisfy this assessment requirement, and can choose any week and any question that interests them or suit their schedule. Please note however that students will be invited to respond to a specific reading or readings and students will be required to submit their answer BEFORE the lecture to which the question relates. No submission after the lecture will be accepted.

Nature of Task: Compulsory. Failure to complete the task will result in a 0 for the task.

Weighting: 20%

Word limit: 800 words

Release: Ongoing. Students can submit any week from weeks 2- 6.

Due date: Questions will be due 9:00 AM on the morning of the lecture to which the readings and questions relate via Turnitin Wattle page. No late submission is permitted due to the nature of the exercise.

Estimated return date: Submitted assignments will be marked and returned with feedback within three week's of due date via Turnitin.

Assessment Criteria:

• Writing,
• Comprehension, and
• Critical ability.

Assessment Task 2

Group Presentation

Details of Task:This course is taught in a seminar style and class participation is throughout encouraged. due to the online nature of this year's course, a tutorial mark is not deemed appropriate. Instead, we are providing students with a set of 10 - 12 images of indigenous art and legal critique. They will be invited to nominate a particular image to explore and analyse. Groups of four or five will be signed up to work together. They will be asked to produce a brief 5- 10 minute video about their chosen artwork. We will provide them with guidance in the use of zoom etc. so they can if necessary work on their videos remotely. The task will encourage a legal, historical and aesthetic analysis of key works from recent Australian art about indigenous rights. in addition, the group work format will encourage students to experience the class collectively and to develop their collaborative skills. In a semester in which isolation in both teaching and learning is going to be an important issue, this small project will help enrich student experience and enhance student relations with each other. the project delivers vital social, intellectual and pedagogic benefits to the course.

Weighting: 15%

Due date: Group videos of 5- 10 minutes in duration must be uploaded to the dedicated part of the wattle site by 5pm Monday of Week 4 (17 August). The videos will be discussed in class during this week.

Estimated return date: Feedback will be provided to groups by 31 August 2020.

Assessment Criteria:

• collaborative ability
• listening ability
• articulation and reflection
• ability to communicate through visual and oral presentation
• analysis that connects aesthetic and interpretative aspects with legal and historical context

Assessment Task 3

Final Research Essay

Details of Task: This research essay will enable students to apply their skills and knowledge to an aesthetic and/or legal object of their choice. It will encourage high level interdisciplinary research and independent learning. The format of the course will allow students to complete the essay on their own schedule over the last half of the semester since teaching content is only delivered for the first six weeks of the course. This will give students greater capacity to explore their research and develop their essays. The convenors will be available to consult with students about their essays throughout the second half of the course by email phone and face to face.

Nature of Task: Compulsory. Failure to complete this task will result in a 0 for this task and failure of the course will result.

Weighting: 65%

Word limit: 2,600

Due date: 5pm 5 November 2020 via Turnitin . Late submissions (without an extension) are accepted, but late penalties will apply.

Estimated return date: after release of final grades for semester 2, December 2020.

Assessment Criteria:

• knowledge of readings and themes of course,
• ability to research in the areas of interdisciplinary study covered by the course,
• ability to design and carry out independent research and writing,
• writing ability,
• critical ability,
• understanding of course materials.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Mid term short response essays will be turned around within three weeks of submission to ensure students receive timely feedback on their work.

Final essay is to be submitted at the end of the second semester teaching period. No feedback will be provided prior to the finalisation of second semester marks.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

N/a

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students