Today there is an apparent consensus in favour of corporate responsibility, as reflected in instruments such as ASX Principle 3 (Act ethically and responsibly), but behind the appearance of consensus lie difficult questions of principle, policy and practical application. This unit aims to equip participants to engage in a sophisticated manner in the analysis of such questions. The seminar is organized around two broad themes. First, the seminar will examine corporate responsibility in the traditional sense of the consideration that corporations may be expected to give to the impact of their activities have on society, even as they strive to earn profits for their shareholders. Topics include environmental responsibility, corporate philanthropy, and the respective roles of directors, managers and shareholders. Second, the seminar will deal with current debates about the rights and responsibilities that arise from corporate personhood, including those concerning corporate criminal responsibility, corporate political participation, and the status of corporations under international law. Participants will learn to work with relevant primary and secondary legal materials, including materials from selected foreign jurisdictions, especially in North America. They will also become familiar with the conceptual tools available from various interdisciplinary perspectives (e.g., law, economics, philosophy, politics) for analysing problems of corporate responsibility.
Unit details and rules
Academic unit | Law |
---|---|
Credit points | 6 |
Prerequisites
?
|
None |
Corequisites
?
|
None |
Prohibitions
?
|
None |
Assumed knowledge
?
|
None |
Available to study abroad and exchange students | No |
Teaching staff
Coordinator | Jason Harris, jason.harris@sydney.edu.au |
---|---|
Lecturer(s) | Ulysses Chioatto, ulysses.chioatto@sydney.edu.au |