The unit is an on Country intensive, delivered through a collaboration between the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and CDU's Faculty of Arts and Society. It aims to equip students with knowledge to critically assess laws history, characteristics and impacts from the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Central to the unit is the examination of the adequacy of the current state of Australian legal education, legal practice, law and justice in relation to First Nations peoples, with a view to possibilities for reform.
The unit acknowledges the multidimensional roles of law and explores connections between law, culture and identity and between law, legitimacy and resources. Additional issues include the roles of legal education, legal practice and the legal system concerning how lawfulness and justice are constructed and performed. The unit incorporates consideration of substantive areas of law such as legal ethics, property, intellectual property rights and sacred site protection.
The unit presents principles and tools to support reappraisal and future leadership to better address legal and societal dimensions of justice, rights and empowerment for First Nations peoples.
Online enrolment is not available for this unit due to limited places. Students are required to submit an expression of interest with the unit coordinator at susan.bird@cdu.edu.au.
