What role does international law play in international affairs? What theoretical and political perspectives underlie legal provisions and how do they shape international politics? How are international legal provisions interpreted and used by various actors? To what extent is international law a solution to contemporary global issues?
By examining the interaction between international law and contemporary international affairs, you will develop your ability to systematically understand and critically evaluate how international law is used in resolving contemporary international issues. You will gain knowledge of a changing set of key themes in international law, such as sovereignty, human rights, use of force, armed conflict, criminal responsibility and environmental protection. You will gain critical understanding of current international affairs by exploring how these themes emerge in contemporary case studies. You will also actively learn about and respond to contemporary global issues and their relationship to international law by applying and further developing key professional skills.
Interactive Lecture-Seminars 16 hours
Workshops 8 hours
Written -Short Writing Piece -Blog (1,000 words). Worth 20% of the total marks for the module.
Written -Extended Writing -Report (3,000 words). Worth 80% of the total marks for the module.
Reassessment methods: Single Instrument 100% written assessment (4,000 words)
For current reading list see the detailed module information on moodle.
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:
1) Systematically characterise the concepts, principles and rules of international law and examine their interaction with contemporary international affairs.
2) Critically evaluate the main theoretical and political perspectives that underlie international legal provisions and how these perspectives shape international politics.
3) Formulate a reasoned and persuasive legal argument as to the application of international law in resolving contemporary international problems.
4) Critically reflect upon challenging ideas about the use of international law in addressing international policy challenges, while formulating legal and policy responses based on their own research and understanding.
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