Owned Environments

This subject is not offered in 2014.

120 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject introduces students to the various legal, economic and social systems that affect the environment at the level of the individual property. The subject covers theories and practices pertaining to the control, transfer, development and decisions about material goods in the built and natural environments.

A core principle underlying the subject is the development over time of property rights.
Key learning will include an understanding of land tenure systems in Australia and the way that this has developed over time as a central aspect of the functioning of our cities and regions.

Using residential property as a model the subject demonstrates:
• Real property’s role in shaping urban, rural and natural environments;
• How property is conceived in legal, social and economic terms;
• Concepts of ownership in different cultural traditions; and
• The rights, obligations and ownership limits in our society.

The subject will also consider the range of issues that need to be resolved in property rights as they relate to tensions between individual versus collective concerns. These range from Terra Nullius, individual rights, collective rights, mechanisms for contesting or modifying rights, intergenerational rights, and anthropomorphic versus ecological rights.

Understanding of rights as they relate to land tenure and property, particularly residential property in Australia and their evolution over time.

Knowledge of key processes involved in ownership of property, such as land tenure transfer and urban planning.

Knowledge of key agencies involved in regulating, mediating and transferring property rights.

Understanding the relationship between property rights and economic value.

Progressive assignments:
Assignment 1 – Property rights (suburb level) due week 4 (10%)
Assignment 2 – Property rights (individual property level) due week 8 (15%)
Assignment 3 – Linkage between rights and economic value due week 12 (20%)

3 hour end of semester examination (55%)

Course reader.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

An ability to apply a systems approach to analysing the dynamics of rights and obligations in owned environments.

Be able to understand the economic, regulatory and social factors affecting the use of environments.

Skills in analysing, reporting on and discussing issues relevant to this subject.