Undergraduate Course: International Law (LLLN08001)
Course Outline
| School | Centre for Open Learning |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course provides students with an introductory overview of international law as an academic discipline. The focus will be on public international law, which regulates relations between various actors including states and international organisations. Students will learn about essential concepts such as the nature of international law, its sources, the law of treaties, its relationship with national laws, and its subjects. In addition, the course will critically assess the effectiveness of international law and offer legal reflections on issues such as the role of international institutions (particularly the United Nations) and the use of force in international relations. By the end of the course, students should have developed a good understanding of the fundamentals of public international law and be familiar with basic international legal concepts. |
| Course description |
Academic description:
This course provides students with an introductory overview of international law as an academic discipline. The focus will be on public international law, which regulates relations between various actors including states and international organisations. Students will learn about essential concepts such as the nature of international law, its sources, the law of treaties, its relationship with national laws, and its subjects. In addition, the course will critically assess the effectiveness of international law and offer legal reflections on issues such as the role of international institutions (particularly the United Nations) and the use of force in international relations. By the end of the course, students should have developed a good understanding of the fundamentals of public international law and be familiar with basic international legal concepts.
Outline content:
The course is divided into four parts. The first part will provide students with foundational knowledge of the main concepts of public international law, including its definition, its nature, the relevant sources, who is subject to it, and its relationship with domestic laws. The second part will focus on the role of international institutions, including the UN system and its effectiveness in countering challenges of public international law. Students will reflect on the involvement of the UN in particular case studies. In the third part, students will learn about the general legal framework of the use of force. The use of force will be taught in the context of jus ad bellum and jus in bello. Students will be encouraged to offer independent thought on recent select examples of the use of force. The fourth part will provide students with an overview of other areas of international law, such as the law of the sea, technology, international environmental law, and international criminal law.
Student learning experience:
The course will be taught through a combination of lectures, class discussions, group work and practical exercises. Lectures will introduce key concepts and theories, and the tutorials will provide an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding through discussion and questions. Students will also be guided to use their reasoning skills to apply international legal rules to facts provided in practical scenarios. In addition, the course will include student-led, group-based presentations on contemporary issues in international law.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- identify and define the main concepts of international law including its nature, sources and subjects, statehood, as well as its relationship with national law;
- demonstrate knowledge of the international legal regime governing the use of force;
- analyse current issues, such as examples of the use of force, from a legal perspective;
- critically assess the effectiveness of international rules and institutions, including the United Nations;
- show awareness of selected areas of international law, such as the law of the sea, environmental law, and international criminal law;
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Reading List
Essential reading:
Dixon, M., 2013. Textbook on International Law. 7th ed. Oxford: University Press.
Recommended reading:
Evans, M.D. ed., 2018. International Law. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Von Glahn, G., and Taulbee, J.L., 2017. Law Among Nations: An Introduction to Public International Law. 11th ed. Abingdon: Routledge.
Gray, C., 2018. International Law and the Use of Force. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Shaw, M., 2017. International Law. 8th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry - suggest solutions to problems;
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy - critically evaluate ideas and concepts;
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Communication - use skilled communication to enhance their understanding of public international law topics and its context and to engage effectively with others;
Graduate Attributes: Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness - work with people from a range of cultures and backgrounds.
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| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Maximillian Jaede
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Kameliya Skerleva
Tel: (0131 6)51 1855
Email: |
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