Refer to the attached files Institution: Human Rights in remote communities; discuss what it means for indigenous men (Aboriginal Australians) Human Rights in terms of: – Shorter life expectancies, poverty, more at risk of developing mental health issues – Lack of mental health support services in remote communities; inaccessible health services – No standard housing substructures and communities; have rundown housing , overcrowding and destitute sanitation systems – Unemployment; welfare dependency
Purpose/Learning Objectives:
This task will allow you to gain feedback on your critical thinking and essay writing skills. This assessment relates to Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4:
1.Describe the principle of structural inequality and explain its relationship to the social divisions ofclass, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and age.
2.Articulate the relationship between structural inequality and life chances in producing social injusticein Australia.
3.Discuss the ways in which social concepts (race, gender, class, sexuality, age) and legal concepts(human rights, citizenship, justice) interact to produce social injustice.
4.Relate issues of social justice to issues of criminal justice in Australia.
Task:
You are required to choose one of the key institutions of justice explored in Module 3 (Criminal Law, Punishment, Human Rights, Citizenship) and critically discuss that institution from the ‘perspective’ of the group that you analysed in Assessment 1: Report on Disadvantage.
You must explore the role that your chosen institution plays in creating just or unjust outcomes for your group. In doing so, you should discuss the unique experiences that your group has with that institution, such as the barriers they encounter when accessing it. You should also make suggestions as to how that institution could be reformed to produce more just outcomes for the group that you are discussing.
The following detailed instructions will help you complete this task.
Step 1. Choose an institution from Module 3. You must first choose an ‘institution’ discussed in Module 3
(Human Rights. Make sure you have familiarised yourself with this institution – this might require you to read ahead in the textbook or to explore some of the unit content that we haven’t yet discussed. You will need to do some general research about that institution, and some more specific research that talks about the institution in the context of your chosen group. Remember, you are using the ‘perspective’ of the group that you looked at in the first assignment to narrow your discussion of this institution, and to ground it in a ‘real world’ context. This will also allow you to use clear examples to discuss your points. Use the unit material to guide you here. Please note that the institutions referred to here are those that make up the weekly topics for module 3 – do not choose an institution like the Australian Human Rights Commission. Also note that if you choose Criminal Law as your institution, you can discuss the criminal justice process right up to punishment (as Punishment is a separate institution that we discuss) – this means that you can include the policing and court processes in your discussion.
Step 2. Consider the following questions to develop the points you will discuss in your essay.
•What is the role of your institution in creating just or unjust outcomes for your group?
•Why is that particular institution an important one for your group to have access to in order toachieve justice?
•Does the group that you are looking at have unique experiences with that institution? Do theyexperience barriers to accessing it? Why do these barriers exist? How do these barriers preventaccess to justice?
• Are there any ways in which access to this institution might be better achieved? Could the institution be reformed in order to produce just outcomes? Note: this issue is likely to be addressed in, or become apparent from, the research that you find on the topic – you should avoid inventing your own suggestions or recommendations without reference to the research you have found.
Step 3. Write your essay
The questions above will help you to produce the critical discussion that is expected. You should plan and write 3-4 body paragraphs to address these questions in relation to your group. Remember, each paragraph should only cover one main point. This task requires that you engage to some extent in your own synthesis of information. The key points might not always be immediately apparent in the research you access.
Note: Higher marks will be given to essays that demonstrate a sophisticated and original engagement with the institution chosen, and which clearly articulate the role that this institution (or lack of access to it) plays in the injustice experienced by your group. As is the case for the first assignment, reference to key unit concepts (both general concepts, and those specific to your group and institution) is necessary and, the more sophisticated your use of these, the higher mark you will receive. Please consult the criteria sheet for more detailed information.
Academic Sources:
You are expected to engage with academic resources for this essay, including your textbook, academic journal articles, reports, conference papers and reputable websites. You can also engage with some of the research that you discussed in Assessment 1, but do not copy the content of your assignment directly. There is no limit on the number of sources you may include in this assessment but all sources must be correctly cited in text using the Harvard system and a correctly formatted reference list must be provided (do not use footnotes). You must provide at least 12 references.
Suggested layout/structure:
Introduction (150 words)
This should include a brief statement introducing your topic, an outline of the content of your essay, and a clear indication of your argument in the essay.
Body (1200 words)
You should structure your essay around the key questions outlined under Step 2 above. You may choose to use sub-headings.
Conclusion (150 words)
Your concluding statement should draw together your work. Here you should provide the following:
• A series of brief statements outlining the key points you have made in each section of your essay
• A strong statement which ties together your work and clearly identifies what your argument has been throughout your essay
Reference List
Your reference list should be in Harvard format, be single spaced and listed alphabetically by first author’s author surname. Do NOT divide into type of source (i.e. books, journal articles, web sources). Your reference list should be titled as such and be tidily presented. The reference list is not included in the word count.
Presentation/inclusions:
Your essay must be double spaced and in 12 point font. You may use sub-headings to identify each section of the essay (e.g. Introduction, sub headings which reflect your topic, Conclusion).
All assignments submitted in the School of Justice at QUT should include:
A cover page
Your cover page will include your name, indicating that you are the author of the report, and your student number. It should also clearly state which key group you are exploring in this report.
Statement of Authorship
You are required to include this in your QUT assignments. This statement indicates that you accept responsibility for your work and that it is original and free of plagiarism. The statement is:
In submitting this work I declare that, unless otherwise acknowledged, this work is wholly my own. I understand that my work will be submitted to Turn It In and consent to this taking place.
Criteria Sheet
Please do not include your criteria sheet in the document that you submit, as this will be highlighted as copied material in the Turn It In originality report.
Submission details:
All students are to submit this assignment by uploading it using the link in the ‘Essay’ folder of the JSB171 Blackboard site, by 11:59pm on the due date. If you have any difficulty submitting your assignment, please contact the IT Helpdesk (Ph: 07 3138 4000, website: https://www.ithelpdesk.qut.edu.au/) and make sure that you log a job with them so you have evidence of your attempted submission. To avoid any last minute problems, make sure you submit well before 10pm, as this is when the IT Helpdesk shuts.
Please ensure that your assignment is uploaded in Microsoft Word (.docx) format only and not as a PDF or as a ‘Pages’ document.
Useful Library resources:
Assignment Calculator: http://studywell.library.qut.edu.au/multimedia_files/assignment_calculator/index.php
Finding Academic Sources for Social Justice & Inclusion http://libguides.library.qut.edu.au/social_justice
Essay Writing: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/write/essay.jsp
QUT Harvard Referencing: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/cite/qutcite.jsp#harvard
