What happens when an injustice is caused by systemic factors or even by the state itself? Where can we turn when we have reached the limits of the law in addressing injustice? This subject will invite you think critically about “justice” and how it is (and should be) achieved. Through a range of case studies, we will consider how systemic injustice might arise and be addressed from the micro (e.g. an individual wrongful conviction, in the context of over-policing) to the meso (e.g. the failure of police to investigate a whole class of crimes) to the macro (e.g. the lack of legal recourse for the harms caused by climate change). The subject will consider the roles of individual agents, legal institutions, media, popular culture, and broader public and policy responses in both contributing to and addressing systemic injustices. The subject will also look at the victim or community impact of these issues.
