LAW5348 Indigenous rights and international law
Faculty of Law
LAW5348 Indigenous rights and international law is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Law. It isn't offered in 2025. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Other periods
- Caulfield
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before LAW5348
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After LAW5348
No unit lists LAW5348 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Enrolment rules
For Legal Studies students (L4004, L5004, L6013) you must have completed LAW5000 or LAW5081
and
For Juris Doctor students (L6005), you must have completed 72 points of study.
Master of Indigenous Business Leadership (B6024) must complete this unit as part of their course.
Overview
This unit will examine the existing international law that promotes/protects human rights and freedoms of Indigenous peoples and locate this law within their culture and traditions, as well as within the international law context. The major international instruments that protect and promote the rights of Indigenous peoples will be evaluated. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and work in other UN fora will be discussed. Australia forms the basis of case study. Includes focus on legal and community definitions of Indigenous peoples, understanding the right of self-determination, collective as opposed to individual rights, anti-discrimination, land and resource rights, civil and political participation, rights of identity, language and education.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Caulfield | On campus, block |
Assessment
- Seminar presentationPresentation20%
- Reflective assignmentWritten20%
- Essay (or equivalent)Written60%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Apply knowledge and understanding of recent developments in relation to recognition, protection and enforcement of Indigenous rights in context of international law and international fora, with creativity and initiative to new situations in professional practice and/or for further learning
- 2
Investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories in relation to the protection of Indigenous rights at international law.
- 3
Conduct research in Indigenous rights based on knowledge of appropriate international law research principles and methods.
- 4
Use cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate at an abstract level complex ideas and concepts relevant to the rights of Indigenous peoples in international law.
- 5
Make effective use of the chosen assessment mode to persuasively communicate ideas related to the rights of indigenous peoples.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
24 contact hours per semester (either intensive, semi-intensive or semester long, depending on the Faculty resources, timetabling and requirements). Students will be expected to do reading set for class, and to undertake additional research and reading applicable to a 6 credit point unit.
Learning resources
Required resources
See the Moodle unit page for prescribed and recommended resources. Prescribed texts are usually available for purchase through the University Bookstore and are sometimes available for short-term loan or as eBooks through the library.
Where it fits
LAW5348 is part of 2 areas of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Melissa Castan
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for LAW5348?
LAW5348 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is LAW5348 offered?
LAW5348 has no offerings listed in the 2025 handbook.
Does LAW5348 have an exam?
No. LAW5348 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include LAW5348?
LAW5348 is part of Global society and human rights; and Public sector governance and regulation.