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Equality and Diversity

Module description

The introduction of the Equality Act (2010) brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation and provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. Equality and diversity is becoming more important in all aspects of our lives and work, not least because we live in a global and diverse society, and we need to be able to respond appropriately to diversity.  For this, you need to understand the legal framework, including rights and obligations under that framework. Specifically, you need to understand how others should be treated and how others should treat one another. Understanding this can help tackle prejudice, promote effective working relationships, promote innovation and access to talent, as well as improve business performance.

This module will build your understanding through seminars. Seminars provide you with opportunities for discussion and interaction, often in small groups, sometimes over a longer time than a lecture. You will experience and engage in interactive teaching methods such as student presentations and small group work, to help you develop your knowledge and skills actively and support your deep learning.

The Equality and Diversity module could empower students to drive progressive change following graduation, when they are hopefully in a good position to apply the knowledge and understanding derived from this module.

Module aims - intentions of the module

1. Immediate module aim
This module aims to help develop your understanding of the legal principles involved in contemporary equality and diversity issues. It aims to provide you with not only the knowledge and skill to identify the manifestations of inequality in society but also the ability to engage with the issues and to identify solutions to tackle such inequality from an evidence-based research-inspired perspective (research-inspired learning).

2. Long-term module aim
Ultimately, as you learn deeply on this module, your understanding can widen your perspective in such a way that it enables you to contribute positively to the debate on and implementation of equal opportunity; this way, you are empowered to use evidence based research and policy into practice (potentially enhancing your employability).

3. Equality Duty
The equality duty was created under the Equality Act 2010 and requires organisations, including universities, to consider how they could positively contribute to the advancement of equality and good relations. It requires equality considerations to be reflected in the delivery of services, and for these issues to be kept under review.

Thus, this module could prepare you for the existing equality duty when you enter employment following graduation.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate awareness of some legal origins, manifestations and solutions to inequality and equal opportunity
• 2. Identify, explain and evaluate some key issues of inequality and apply relevant legal rules and theories

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity principles and their limits
• 4. Apply knowledge to a problem and suggest a solution supported by relevant arguments derived from Law

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Research and synthesize potentially conflicting arguments from within the Law and consider alternative ways of solving complex and authentic equality problems
• 6. Select, integrate and present coherently and reflectively, in writing, relevant concepts and arguments.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Definitions of Equality and Diversity in the Law:

• Formal equality,
• Substantive equality,
• Transformative equality,
• Violations of equality - such as direct and indirect discrimination on the protected grounds

Potential advancement of equality and diversity.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

A new question will be set for the re-assessment essay.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading: Blackstone’s Guide to the Equality Act 2010, Third Edition 10 November 2016

Bob Hepple, Equality: The Legal Framework (Hart 2014)

Aileen McColgan, Discrimination, Equality and the Law (Human Rights in Perspective), (Hart 2014)

Sandra Fredman, Discrimination Law (OUP 2011)

Tarunabh Khaitan, A Theory of Discrimination Law (OUP 2015)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

vle.exeter.ac.uk

Key words search

Equality, discrimination, protected grounds, diversity, positive action