Undergraduate Course: Civil Law (LAWS10067)
Course Outline
School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
Summary | "Rome's greatest legacy to the modern world is undoubtedly its private law. Roman law forms the basis of all the legal systems of Western Europe with the exception of England (but not Scotland) and Scandinavia. Outside Europe, the law of places as diverse as Louisiana and Ceylon, Quebec and Japan, Ethiopia and South Africa, Turkey and Chile, is based firmly on Roman law. Even in England and the countries of Anglo- American law in general, the influence of Roman law is considerable and much greater than often admitted." - Alan Watson Roman law and comparative law (Georgia 1991) 3 ff. This quote by Alan Watson provides some indication of the true value and extent of the civilian influence in modern legal systems. Legal systems are too complex to be studied in detail, but by studying the historical principles on which European law is founded, the student will gain a unique insight into the working of civil-law systems. The aim of this course is to explain in depth some key aspects of early Roman Law, the various methods of law-making in the later Roman Republic and finally examine the development of the Roman Law on damage to property from the Twelve Tables (450 BC) until the time of Justinian (527 - 565 AD). By means of a detailed study of the original texts in translation it seeks to provide some understanding of the Roman - and by comparison the modern legal mind at work. Teaching will be based on primary materials with reference to extensive secondary literature. There is no particular prescribed textbook, but students will be required to do some research in the library.
Students need not have taken Civil Law Ordinary and knowledge of Latin is not required. |
Course description |
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | Please note that you are very unlikely to get a place on an Honours Law course unless you are on a direct exchange with the School of Law (this includes Erasmus law exchange students). |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
This course is designed to provide students with:
1. Further insights into the historical origins of law in Western Europe while focusing on selected topics in Roman law;
2. A working knowledge of the sources and methodology of legal history;
3. An overview of the civilian tradition and its contemporary relevance in a mixed jurisdiction such as Scotland.
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Keywords | Civil hons |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr P Du Plessis
Tel: (0131 6)50 9701
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Krystal Hanley
Tel: (0131 6)50 2056
Email: |
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