Module SXL-3110:
International Law and Contemporary Issues
Module Facts
Run by School of History, Law and Social Sciences
20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits
Semester 1 & 2
Organiser: Prof Alison Mawhinney
Overall aims and purpose
The aim of this module is to provide undergraduate students with a broad and solid introduction to the field of international law with a specific introduction to contemporary issues in international human rights law, public international law, and international environmental law.
Course content
This module will enhance students’ understanding of the public international context of law. Students will begin with the necessary building blocks to understanding the field of international law by exploring and understanding fundamental principles of public international law. On grasping these core principles students will be well placed to move forward to more sophisticated examinations of some core topics and contemporary issues in international law, for example in the fields of international human rights law and international environmental law.
Assessment Criteria
C- to C+
C- to C+: C- to C+ (50-59%) An answer which, while always in the main accurate and correct, fails to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant material and is lacking in criticism. An answer which while reliable with regard to correctness is either not comprehensive or not entirely pertinent.
excellent
Excellent: A- to A* (70+%) An outstanding, possibly brilliant, answer, containing all the material relevant to the question and no irrelevancy, all the material and references being accurate and correct, there being no inaccuracy or error, the whole presented in a clear, logical, critical argument with little room for improvement. An answer which demonstrates a complete mastery of the subject.
threshold
Threshold: D- to D+ (40-49%) An answer which, while predominantly correct in its presentation of material, contains a significant level of error and is therefore not entirely reliable.
good
Good: B- to B+ (60-69%) High Standard: A comprehensive answer, containing all the material relevant to the question and no irrelevancy, all the material and references being accurate and correct, there being no inaccuracy or error, the whole presented in an argument which, while clear, logical and critical, leaves room for improvement in its construction and presentation. An answer which shows complete competence in the subject.
Learning outcomes
-
Apply knowledge of international law to actual or hypothetical factual scenarios.
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Critically evaluate the key sources of international law and how these apply to specific situations
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Demonstrate a critical appreciation of the history, theory and practice of international law
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Analyse fundamental legal principles in public international law, international human rights law, international criminal law in the context of contemporary issues and critically assess these principles.
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Critically appraise the broader political, cultural and economic contexts in which international law operates.
Assessment Methods
Type | Name | Description | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
EXAM | MCQ on BB | An exam which assesses fundamental understanding of public international law. |
40.00 |
EXAM | Exam | An exam which assesses ability to apply international law to contemporary issues. |
60.00 |
Teaching and Learning Strategy
Hours | ||
---|---|---|
Private study | Private study either alone or within study groups - students will be given significant direction and advice by module leader and lecturers with respect to private study topics and objectives. |
156 |
Seminar | 22 x 2 hour weekly seminars, taught using a blended learning approach |
44 |
Transferable skills
- Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
- Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
- Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
- Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
- Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sentistevely with others
- Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
- Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
- Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
- Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
- Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in
Subject specific skills
- Develop the ability to interpret legal rules and employ techniques of legal reasoning competently and efficiently in order to offer a range of solutions and conclusions to actual or hypothetical complex legal problems, all supported by relevant academic literature, jurisprudence and legislative research. Such solutions will be clearly communicated and presented
- Develop the ability to analyse complex legal issues, set against the background of the political, social, economic or cultural contexts in which they may arise
- Develop those skills which are necessary for scholarship and research in legal subjects, namely the ability to identify relevant primary and secondary legal sources and to retrieve accurate legal information using paper and electronic sources
Resources
Resource implications for students
Most resources in the reading list will be drawn from sources already available to students through the library. Consideration will be given if the textbook is changed, to the cost of that textbook.
Talis Reading list
http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/sxl-3110.htmlReading list
The core text for this module will be A. Abass, Complete International Law (2nd edition). Class readings will be provided in the syllabus.
Pre- and Co-requisite Modules
Courses including this module
Optional in courses:
- M115: LLB Law with English Literature (International Experience) year 3 (LLB/ILEL)
- M100: LLB Law year 3 (LLB/L)
- M11B: LLB Law (4 year with Incorporated Foundation) year 3 (LLB/L1)
- M1N4: LLB Law with Acc and Finance year 3 (LLB/LAF)
- M1NB: LLB Law with Accounting & Finance (4yr with Incorp Found) year 3 (LLB/LAF1)
- M101: LLB Law (2 year) year 3 (LLB/LAW2)
- M1N1: LLB Law with Business Studies year 3 (LLB/LBS)
- MN1B: LLB Law with Business (4year with Incorporated Foundation) year 3 (LLB/LBS1)
- MT11: LLB Law with Chinese year 4 (LLB/LC)
- MT12: LLB Law with Chinese (International Experience) year 4 (LLB/LCIE)
- M1W1: LLB Law with Creative Media Writing year 3 (LLB/LCMW)
- M1W2: LLB Law with Creative Media Writing (International Exp) year 4 (LLB/LCMWI)
- M116: LLB Law with French (European Experience) year 4 (LLB/LFE)
- M117: LLB Law with German (European Experience) year 4 (LLB/LGE)
- M1V1: LLB Law with History year 3 (LLB/LH)
- M1V2: LLB Law with History (International Experience) year 4 (LLB/LHI)
- M102: LLB Law (International Experience) year 4 (LLB/LI)
- M103: LLB Law with Accounting & Finance (Intl Exp) year 4 (LLB/LIA)
- M104: LLB Law with Business Studies (International Experience) year 4 (LLB/LIB)
- M105: LLB (European) Law with French year 4 (LLB/LIC)
- M108: LLB Law with Social Policy (International Experience) year 4 (LLB/LIF)
- M113: LLB Law with Criminology (Intl Exp) year 4 (LLB/LIK)
- M118: LLB Law with Italian (European Experience) year 4 (LLB/LITE)
- M1P1: LLB Law with Media Studies year 3 (LLB/LMS)
- M1P2: LLB Law with Media Studies (International Experience) year 4 (LLB/LMSI)
- M10P: LLB Law with Placement Year year 4 (LLB/LP)
- M1V5: LLB Law with Philosophy and Religion year 3 (LLB/LPR)
- M1C8: LLB Law with Psychology year 3 (LLB/LPSY)
- M119: LLB Law with Spanish (European Experience) year 4 (LLB/LSE)
- M1L4: LLB Law with Social Policy year 3 (LLB/LSP)
- M1LB: LLB Law with Social Policy (4 yr with Incorp Foundation) year 3 (LLB/LSP1)
- M1Q5: LLB Law with Welsh year 3 (LLB/LW)
- M1M9: LLB Law with Criminology year 3 (LLB/LWCR)
- M1MB: LLB Law with Criminology (4 yr with Incorporated Foundation) year 3 (LLB/LWCR1)
- M1MP: LLB Law with Criminology with Placement Year year 4 (LLB/LWCRP)
- M1QK: LLB Law with English Literature year 3 (LLB/LWEL)
- M1M0: LLB English Law and French Law year 3 (LLB/UKLFL)