Rule of Law and International Organizations (Juristprogrammet), 15 Credits

Contents

Fair and reliable laws and judicial institutions are widely emphasized as being crucial to peace, security and development. The purpose of the course is to highlight a number of key issues in creating and reforming such institutions in transition- and developing countries, or countries devastated by war, e.g.

the critical role of law for peace and security,
the legal basis for how states and international organizations can operate within international politics,
whether and how law can be used to promote reconsiliation, democratisation and economic development,
the prospects of successfully using foreign legal and judicial concepts as models,
development co-operation within the field of law, e.g. how projects are identified, implemented and evaluated.

The course will start with a brief exposé of the most common arguments for and against international support to legal and judicial reforms, previous experiences of donor-supported reform programs, relevant international norms and policies, and the role of international organizations. After that a number of thematic seminars will provide a deeper understanding of key issues in building and reforming legal and judicial institutions.

All aspects of this course, including the examination, are conducted in English.
 

Expected learning outcomes

After having successfully completed the course, the student will have detailed knowledge of:
The international rationale for emphasizing RoL in developing, transition and post-crisis environments
The role of states and international organizations in RoL developmentsThe possibilities and limitations of different approaches and legal tools in those developments.

Required Knowledge

Univ: 120 university credits from the Law Programme.

Form of instruction

The teaching will essentially consist of seminars. External experts will be invited to discuss current developments within their respective fields. Active participation by the students in analyzing and discussing arguments and trends is critical. Part­icipating students are required to carefully study all assigned texts and cases before each seminar. Further instructions on the requirements for each seminar will be handed out as the course proceeds. All teaching and seminars will be in the English language.
 

Examination modes

Examination takes place through fulfillment of two parts, partly the compulsory course elements specified in component 1 below, partly writing a research paper specified in component 2 below.
Component 1
Active participation during compulsory seminars.
Component 2
Fulfillment of a research paper.
Grades
A passing grade on the activities under components 1-2 above are required to receive a passing grade for the course as a whole. For component 1 the grades Fail (U) or Pass (G) can be awarded. On the research paper the grades awarded are Fail (U), Pass (B), Pass not without distinction (Ba) or Pass with distinction (AB).
On the entire course, the grades given are Fail (U), Pass (B), Pass without distinction (Ba) or Pass with distinction (AB). The grade for the course as a whole is based on the result of the research paper and awarded after the completion of all compulsory course elements.

The appointed examiner may decide to use other forms of examination if required by particular circumstances. A student who has not received a passing grade on a test will be afforded an opportunity for re-examination. A student who has passed examination may not be re-examined. A student who has taken two tests for a course or segment of a course, without passing, has the right to have another examiner appointed, unless special reasons exist. A written request for change of examiner is submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Education.
 
Academic credit transfer
Students have the right to apply to have a previous education or experience evaluated for transfer of credits. For more information, see: www.umu.se/utbildning/antagning/tillgodoraknande