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PL22066: The politics of international law

[Page last updated: 03 June 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Credits: 5 [equivalent to 10 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 100
Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: EXOB 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • 4h exam (EXOB 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes:
  • Illustrate the main IR approaches to International Law;
  • Illustrate the main International Law approaches to international politics;
  • Describe, compare and critique different legal systems associated with the emergence of specific World Orders in history;
  • Get substantive knowledge of some key challenges that international law is facing today - and how they relate politically to international responses to old and new international crimes;
  • Select, systematise and use evidence, data and information from a variety of secondary and primary sources in accordance to the ethical requirements of study;
  • Display critical judgement;
  • Demonstrate self-organisation and time-management skills.



Synopsis: "Explore the political dimensions of international law. Borrowing from a range of theories and case studies and research, You will investigate and challenge mainstream interpretations of the value of international law in international politics. You will focus on four broad themes: - international law and its ties with different international political projects - origins, praxes, and challenges - world orders and international legal systems - criminal states and retribution; new legal regimes"

Content: The unit is divided in four broad themes - International Law as a Product of Political Thought and its ties with different international political projects: Origins, Praxes, and Challenges; World Orders and International Legal Systems; Criminal States and Retribution; New Crimes, New Laws. Each theme will include historical, conceptual and theoretical elements that will run chronologically across the year. Although issues of international security will be a key concern, the unit will explore a broad range of other topics, including international political economy, international justice and technology.

Course availability:

PL22066 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Economics
  • UHES-AFB11 : BSc(Hons) Economics with Politics (Year 2)
  • UHES-AKB11 : BSc(Hons) Economics with Politics with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHES-AKB11 : BSc(Hons) Economics with Politics with professional placement and study abroad (Year 2)
  • UHES-AKB11 : BSc(Hons) Economics with Politics with study abroad (Year 2)
Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AKB67 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (ab initio French) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB68 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (ab initio German) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB71 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (ab initio Italian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB72 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (ab initio Mandarin) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB70 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (ab initio Russian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB69 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (ab initio Spanish) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB67 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (French) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB68 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (German) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB69 : BA(Hons) International Politics and Modern Languages (Spanish) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB55 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & ab initio German) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB58 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & ab initio Italian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB59 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & ab initio Mandarin) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB57 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & ab initio Russian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB56 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & ab initio Spanish) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB55 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & German) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB56 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (French & Spanish) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB55 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (German & ab initio French) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB62 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (German & ab initio Italian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB63 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (German & ab initio Mandarin) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB61 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (German & ab initio Russian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB60 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (German & ab initio Spanish) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB60 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (German & Spanish) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB56 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (Spanish & ab initio French) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB60 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (Spanish & ab initio German) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB65 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (Spanish & ab initio Italian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB66 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (Spanish & ab initio Mandarin) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB64 : BA(Hons) Modern Languages (Spanish & ab initio Russian) with year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AFB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with professional placement and study abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB53 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with study abroad (Year 2)
Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • UHSP-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Criminology (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Criminology with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB31 : BSc(Hons) International Development with Economics (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB31 : BSc(Hons) International Development with Economics with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB32 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB32 : BSc(Hons) Social Policy with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB37 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB37 : BSc(Hons) Social Sciences with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB35 : BSc(Hons) Sociology (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AFB36 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB36 : BSc(Hons) Sociology and Social Policy with professional placement (Year 2)
  • UHSP-AKB35 : BSc(Hons) Sociology with professional placement (Year 2)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.