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Socio-Legal Studies at Dublin Institute of Technology

The School of Social Sciences and Law at Dublin Institute of Technology places particular emphasis in its research, teaching and learning on examining the role of law in society, the effect of law on behaviour and the way in which legal norms shape, and are shaped by, the wider social context.

The School of Social Sciences and Law is uniquely placed to innovate and promote socio-legal studies. The strong connections between the Departments of Law and Social Sciences within the School as well as collaborations with the Centre for Social and Educational Research ensure that socio-legal issues are central to our teaching, learning, research and practice.

 

Socio-Legal Research

The School is home to a group of researchers actively engaged in issues of socio-legal importance, many of whom also have direct links to community-based, voluntary and non-governmental organisations. Those researchers and their areas of interest within the socio-legal area are listed below. You may find out more about them by clicking on the links. The School is delighted to welcome applications and expressions of interest from those considering undertaking research in the socio-legal area. You may contact any of the staff listed or else Dr. Mary Rogan, Lecturer in Socio-Legal Studies at mary.rogan@dit.ie.

Dr. Kevin Lalor: Violence against children; crime figures and victim surveys in Ireland.

Dr. Karen Smith: the government of childhood.

Dr. Mairead Seymour: youth justice; young offenders; alternatives to custody; crime and homelessness; reintegration

Mr. Bruce Carolan: the criminalisation of corporate killing

Dr. Elaine Fahey: Access to Justice

Dr. Mary Rogan: prison policy; prisoners' rights; accountability structures in prisons; criminal justice policy-making; penal reform.

 

Teaching and Socio-Legal Studies at the School of Social Sciences and Law

The School's commitment to socio-legal studies can be seen in the nature of our Programmes. The MA Criminology, for example, draws on a variety of disciplines including law, sociology, social science, social policy, politics, history and psychology. The BA in Social Care and the BA in Early Childhood Education contain modules on law as it relates to the field of social care practice. The Department of Law’s Programmes combine both doctrinal law modules and those with a more empirical, policy-orientated or theoretical ethos, such as Criminology, Jurisprudence, Law and Society and Law in Society.

Across all our Programmes, the School is committed to facilitating students to understand the practical, policy and societal effects of law and the broader political and social context in which the law operates.

 

The Department of Law has recently secured funding from Students Learning with Communities at Dublin Institute of Technology in order to establish and conduct the Law in Society module. This innovative form of teaching and learning involves law students conducting legal research for a community based organisation. Students improve their skills of research, presentation, collaboration and sense of ethical responsibilities towards clients, while the community based organisation benefits from the research conducted by students. The School of Social Sciences and Law is proud to be working with the Irish Penal Reform Trust, Ireland’s leading non-governmental organisation working in the area of imprisonment and prisoners’ rights, as part of this project during 2010/11.

 

Dr. Mary Rogan, Professor Brian Norton and Happiness Mwase at the Students Learning with Communities Awards.

The School also runs the Socio-Legal Speaker Series which provides a forum for discussion about issues relating to law and society. Previous speakers include Liam Herrick, Executive Director of the Irish Penal Reform Trust, Professor Ivana Bacik, Dr. Mairead Seymour, Noeline Blackwell and Professor Brice Dickson.

Dr. Mairead Seymour and Dr. Mary Rogan at the Socio-Legal Speaker Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr.Fergus Ryan, Dr. Kevin Lalor, Professor Ivana Bacik and Dr. Elaine Fahey at the Socio-Legal Speaker Series

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on socio-legal studies at Dublin Institute of Technology, please contact Dr. Mary Rogan, Lecturer in Socio-Legal Studies: mary.rogan@dit.ie .

We look forward to hearing from you!