Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit offers students an immersive international learning experience in Indonesia. The unit explores the relationship between law, society and social justice within a distinct legal and cultural context. Through first-hand engagement with Indonesian legal institutions, government bodies, universities, and civil society organisations, students develop an informed understanding of how law operates across national boundaries and within diverse social, political and religious settings.

Students will examine the Indonesia legal system, regulatory frameworks, and approaches to justice while critically analysing how historical and cultural contexts shape legal institutions and the administration of justice. This unit deepens students’ appreciation of comparative law and global justice issues, strengthens key competencies including cross-cultural communication, critical analysis, and reflective practice. 

2026 20

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.

Prerequisites

LAWS104 Foundations of Law and Legal Research OR LCRM107 Introduction to Research for Law, Human Rights and Criminal Justice Studies AND (LAWS107 Introduction to Australian Public Law OR LCRM109 Public Law for Criminology & Human Rights Studies )

Incompatible

LAWS312 - International Study Tour

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Analyse basic legal literacy and an understanding ...

Learning Outcome 01

Analyse basic legal literacy and an understanding of Indonesian society, government, culture and religion
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC3, GC9

Identify and describe contemporary legal issues a...

Learning Outcome 02

Identify and describe contemporary legal issues arising from the intersection of law, society, and social justice in Indonesia
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC4, GC6, GC11, GC12

Describe and critically evaluate the principal In...

Learning Outcome 03

Describe and critically evaluate the principal Indonesian legal institutions, and key laws and regulations. Demonstrate an understanding of their roles and how their development reflects Indonesia’s social and religious context
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC2, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Content

Topic will include:

1.       Introduction to Indonesian Politics, Culture and Society

2.       Foundations of Indonesian Law and legal system

3.       Law in Context: Contemporary Legal Issues

4.       Law in Practice: Legal institutions in Indonesia

5.       Criminal Law and the Death Penalty

6.       Justice and Human Rights

7.       Gender, Sexuality and the Law in Indonesia

8.       Indonesia’s legal terminology

9.       Interreligious Conflict, Peacebuilding and the Law

10.  Customary Law and Minority Rights

11.  Islamic Family Law

12.  Business and Consumer Law

13.  Environmental Law

14.  Disability Law

15.  Indonesian legal research 

Assessment strategy and rationale

Three assessment tasks will be used to measure student’s learning process and achievement in meeting learning outcomes and graduate attributes.

First, a test of basic knowledge demonstrating a grasp of information relevant to the unit e.g quizzes/tests.

Second, a small group assignment to build confidence in engaging with key issues and concepts involving delivery of a presentation and accompanying notes.

Third, an individual research assignment requiring the identification of a topic and production of written analysis drawing on information and resources introduced through the unit.

To pass this unit, students must demonstrate achievements in all learning outcomes and obtain an aggregate mark of at least 50%. 

Overview of assessments

Assessment Task 1: In-Class Assessment This asse...

Assessment Task 1: In-Class Assessment

This assessment is conducted in class, and it requires students to complete the task individually in written format, within a supervised environment and without access to unauthorised materials or external assistance.

Students will be required to respond to set questions within the allocated time. This assessment is designed to verify students understanding of basic legal concept, institutions, regulation, and an understanding of Indonesian language, culture and society.

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC3, GC9

Assessment Task 2: Communication and Engagement ...

Assessment Task 2: Communication and Engagement

This is a group assessment comprising both a written component in the form of presentation slides and an oral presentation delivered in class. Students will collaboratively prepare presentation slides bringing together and analysing knowledge gained from study visits, lectures and readings. 

This task requires students to demonstrate their ability to identify their observations of key legal, institutional, and socio-cultural issues they learn during the program. It will evaluate students’ participation in all learning program activities and capacity to engage with new knowledge.

Weighting

35%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC4, GC6, GC11, GC12

Assessment Task 3: Research report A substantial...

Assessment Task 3: Research report

A substantial research paper on a subject selected by each student will evaluate their ability to analyse socio-legal issues and demonstrate insight into laws and legal institutions in a comparative context. 

Weighting

45%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC11

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is taught on an intensive basis over a four-week period as an in-country structured learning and research program. It is designed to develop Asia literacy skills in students by providing cultural immersion, engagement with academic, professional and community experts, and a comparative understanding of Indonesian law, society and social justice.

Commencing with pre-departure learning, students progressively build insight into the cultural, religious and institutional aspects of justice in Indonesia. In-country activities will comprise daily lectures, discussion, and presentations delivered in collaboration with partner universities, complemented by structured visits to public institutions and community organisations. Daily debriefs ensure students actively reflect on learnings, and ensure students understand the relationship between activities, learning outcomes, and assessment tasks.

As an immersive overseas program, the unit requires students to demonstrate cooperative engagement, and collaborative skills in cross-cultural learning settings.  

Students are introduced to content and tools necessary to become familiar with Indonesian law and society and ultimately to undertake self-directed learning leading culminating in a substantive individual research assignment. Students must participate in all pre-departure and in-country scheduled activities. The total workload aligns with 300 hours of learning and assessment.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Butt, S., & Lindsey, T. (2018). Indonesian law (First edition.). Oxford University Press.

Butt, S. (2015). The constitutional court and democracy in Indonesia (1st ed.). Koninklijke Brill.

Tømte, A., & Riyadi, E. (Eds.). (2024). International human rights and local courts: Human rights interpretation in Indonesia (First edition.). Routledge.

Crouch, M. A. (2012). Law and Religion in Indonesia: The Constitutional Court and the Blasphemy Law. Asian Journal of Comparative Law, 7(1), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1515/1932-0205.1391

Bowen, J. R., & Salim, A. (Eds.). (2018). Women and property rights in Indonesian Islamic legal contexts (1st ed.). Brill.

Afrianty, D. 2015. Women and Sharia Law in Northern Indonesia: Local Women’s NGOs and the Reform of Islamic Law in Aceh. Routledge.

Benda-Beckmann, F. von, & Benda-Beckmann, K. von. (2011). Myths and stereotypes about adat law: A reassessment of Van Vollenhoven in the light of current struggles over adat law in Indonesia. Bijdragen Tot de Taal-, Land- En Volkenkunde, 167(2–3), 167–195. https://doi.org/10.1163/22134379-90003588

 Purba, N., Tanjung, A. M., Pramono, R., & Purwanto, A. (2022). Death Penalty and Human Rights in Indonesia. International Journal of Criminology and Sociology, 9(9), 1356–1362. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4409.2020.09.156

Madjid, A., & Istiqomah, M. (2023). Restorative Justice: A Suitable Response to Environmental Crime in Indonesia? Krytyka Prawa, 15(3), 86–100. https://doi.org/10.7206/kp.2080-1084.622

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