COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: SOCIOLOGY OF LAW

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
LAW 309	A	5	3	0	0	3	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	Dr. Niuton Mulleti nmulleti@epoka.edu.al
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	M.Sc. Adena Vangjeli avangjeli@epoka.edu.al , N/A
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Integrated second cycle study program in Law
Classroom and Meeting Time:	D-202, Thursday, 13:40-16:30
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	75%
Course Description:	The Sociology of Law course refers to a sub-discipline of sociology as much as to an approach to the field of legal studies. The sociology of law is a special field of study which examines the interaction of law with other aspects of society such as the effects of legal institutions, doctrines and practices on the creation and development of social phenomena and vice versa. The course will focus on dealing with the historical perspective of the origins of law; with logic/purpose and legal sanctions; normative decision-making and morality; decision-making and cognitive processes; crime and deviance; the law as an action versus the law as a written right; organizational responses to law, particularly related to labor and employment relations; roles of legal professionals: judges, lawyers, etc.; as well as law and social change, where issues of movements for the protection of human rights, the environment, civil society, etc. will be emphasized.
Course Objectives:	The main objectives of this course are to explain the concept of evolution, stabilization, functions and justification of forms of social control. It also examines the forms of legal thought and reasoning related to the economic and political order, the principles of legitimacy and the effects that evolve with them; the causes of the development of forms of social control; as well as the degree of freedom and coercion in existing forms of law.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Social development of legal institutions.
2	Forms of social control.
3	Legal regulation.
4	Interaction between legal cultures. Social construction of legal issues.
5	Social construction of legal issues.
6	Legal profession and the relation between law and social change.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	October 10, 2024. Explanation of the course syllabus. Introduction to the Sociology of Law.
2	October 17, 2024. Determining the study areas of the Sociology of Law. Sociological and legal concepts of law. Functions of law. Law as a fulfillment of social values."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 1-19
3	October 24,2024. The relationship between the Sociology of Law and the other social sciences. Sociology of Law and Philosophy of Law. The Relationship between the Sociology of Law and the History of Law and Comparative Law. Sociology of Law and Criminology. Sociology of Law and Psychology of law. Sociology of Law and Economics - the economic dimension of law."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 129-168
4	October 31,2024. Foundational Works on Law and Society. Contribution of Cesare Beccaria, Sir Henry Maine, Herbert Spencer and William Graham Sumner."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 168-213
5	November 7, 2024. The Sociological Movement in Law."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 113-253
6	November 14, 2024. The Marxian Perspective."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 49-91
7	November 21, 2024. The Weberian Perspective."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 49-91
8	November 28, 2024. National Holiday.
9	Mid-term Exam
10	December 5, 2024. The Durkheimian Perspective."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 49-91
11	December 12, 2024. Structural-Functionalism: Society as an Integrated System. Social Control."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 91-129
12	December 19, 2024. Conflict Theory: Society as an Arena for Conflict."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 213-253
13	January 9, 2025. Critical Legal Studies: Trashing Liberal Legalism."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 253-265
14	January 16, 2025. Sociology of Law in the contemporary world. Review for final exams."Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Hakan Hyden, pg. 265-293

Prerequisite(s):	N/A
Textbook(s):	Hakan Hyden, "Sociology of Law as the Science of Norms", Routledge, 2022
Additional Literature:	Steven Vago. Law and Society. 10th edition, New Jersey: Pearson.
Laboratory Work:	No
Computer Usage:	No
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Understand sociological examinations of law both as a mechanism of social regulation and as a field of knowledge.
2	Recognize and understand the principal schools of thought in sociology and the law. a. Reconsider the role of formal legal regulation in relation to civil society. b. Appreciate and employ the formal language and discourse of socio-legal studies.
3	Be aware of the influence of race, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, and social class on the outcome of justice institutions.
4	Apply sociolegal theories to a myriad of contemporary justice problems. a. Use knowledge on sociolegal theories to analyze contemporary problems of Albanian society. b. Critically reflect on media reports and cultural products concerning justice issues.
5	Demonstrate an understanding of how contemporary justice institutions operate.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Law Program

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	30
Term Paper	1	20
Final Exam	1	40
Attendance		10
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	2	32
Mid-terms	1	17	17
Assignments	1	8	8
Final examination	1	20	20
Other	0	0	0
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

N/A