English Legal System

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module covers use of the library and electronic resources, and reading cases, statutes and academic literature. You will learn how to produce fully-referenced academic work provide you with the necessary skills to help you study law. You will learn about the doctrine of judicial precedent and the principles involved in drafting and interpreting legislation. This module gives you the opportunity to specialise as well as to consider the English legal system in a broad context, by critically examining its structures, process and personnel.

Justice, Equality and Society

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

In this module, special attention is given to justice, equality and rights. You are introduced to theory which is then explored through a number of case studies focusing in particular on the development of non-discrimination and equality law in the English Legal System. The module will encourage you to think about contemporary issues from the perspectives of justice, equality and rights.

The Law of Contract

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 1

This module explores the legal rules and principles related to the formation, enforcement and vitiation of contractual promises. In particular, you will consider ideas of offer and acceptance. You will study the legal doctrine of consideration and the equitable doctrine of promissory estoppel. You will consider rights of enforceability under the doctrine of privity and then go on to consider the classification and substance of particular terms in a contract, eg implied terms or exemption clauses. The module goes on to look at factors which may vitiate or void agreement, such as misrepresentation, mistake, frusration, duress and undue influence.

The Law of Tort

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 1

In broad terms, the law of tort is the area of civil law primarily concerned with providing a remedy to persons who have been wrongfully harmed by the conduct of others. This module explores a number of the most important areas of tort law, for example negligence, nuisance, trespass to the person, liability for dangerous premises, liability for psychiatric harm and employers' liability. You will consider these and other areas as they are approached by the courts in England and Wales, to some extent the approach of other legal jurisdictions and also the social and political context of tort law.

Classical Political Theory & International Relations

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

This module will introduce you to the primary texts of authors such as Hobbes, Kant, Machiavelli, Marx, Mill, Thucydides, Vitoria and others who are commonly cited as precursors of contemporary international thought. It asks what relevance these authors have had for the establishment of International Relations as a discipline, and how far they can be used to analyse contemporary international politics. Finally, the module demonstrates how classical authors can also be read to provide a radical critique of contemporary international thought and practice.

Introduction to International Relations

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

This module introduces you to the academic study of international relations. The module outlines the specific characteristics of International Relations (IR) as a distinct scholarly discipline, separate from other disciplines such as politics or sociology. The module considers what has defined IR as a discipline and what constitutes its core conceptual and methodological coordinates at the present time. The module approaches these questions through a consideration of the historical development of IR through a series of conceptual and methodological debates. Classically these debates are conceived of as tracing a path from idealism via realism to a pluralist methodological position. Understanding these debates, the circumstances that have given rise to them, and the methods they have generated will give you a good orientation in the disciplinary terrain of IR that will help them in contextualising the ideas they will encounter in the international theory courses in Years 1 and 2.

The Rise of the Modern International Order

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 1

Today we take it for granted that the peoples and governments of the world are linked in a single international system. Yet it was only during 'the long 19th century' that, for the first time in history, a truly 'world' politics began to emerge. This module examines how this came about by reviewing some major events and process of international history in the period from 1789 to 1914.

It begins with the international impact of the French revolution and the industrial revolution, and moves on to the formation of nation-states in Europe and outside. It analyses the role played by Great Britain in organising the Victorian international system, as well as the occupation of the non-European world by European imperialism. Finally, the module reflects upon the combination of factors that caused this 'long 19th century' to end in the carnage of the Great War. At the same time, by looking at some of the major controversies that historians have had about how to understand these events, the module also raises key questions about the nature of historical knowledge itself.

The Short Twentieth Century and Beyond

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 1

Few periods in history have been more tumultuous than the 20th century, racked almost from start to finish by wars, revolutions and global ideological conflicts. In the same period, however, the international system also developed new mechanisms of stability and international organisation - the League of Nations and the United Nations, the 'Bretton Woods' institutions and, increasingly, European integration. This module reviews some major international events and processes of 'the short 20th century' (1914-1989), focusing on this theme of order and disorder in international history.

Equity and Trusts

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 2

This module consists of two related parts: key principles and concepts of equity and equitable remedies; and the institution of the trust. The module aims to set Equity and Trusts in its social, economic and political contexts. You will consider the historical development of equity and the use of particular equitable remedies. We will look at the institution of the trust, it's formation and constitution, moving on to regard the idea of beneficial ownership. The nature of private and public purpose trusts and implied trusts is considered. Further, we look at the duties, responsibilities and rights of the personnel involved in a trust relationship; finally moving on to look at the liability for strangers to a trust. Within this framework, the basic principles and theoretical underpinnings of the subject will be analysed.

Land Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 2

This module explores the legal rules determining what it means to own land and/or other rights that relate to land. Specific topics may include: the doctrines of estates and tenure; the meaning of land (fixtures); and the distinction between personal and property rights; the role of equity and the trust and the doctrine of proprietary estoppel; the contractual formalities for buying an interest or estate in land; acquiring ownership rights, including the rules of adverse possession; unregistered and registered title; mortgages; leases (and licences); co-ownership; trusts of land; freehold covenants; and easements.

Public Law I: Constitutional and Administrative Law

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The module considers the nature and structure of the British Constitution. It addresses some of the core theoretical principles of the Constitution and examine how those principles are applied in the institutional arrangements of government in the UK. The relationship between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government will be considered, and the allocation of power between them is analysed in terms of both constitutional theory and political practice. The module also considers the extent to which state power is subject to control and restraint. The mechanisms that are used to control the exercises of state power are examined in some detail; the principles of Judicial Review, as well as the alternative mechanisms for holding the institutions of the state to account, are considered.

Canadian Constitutional Law in Comparative Perspective

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

The distinctive nature and history of the Canadian state and Canadian constitutional arrangements make it an interesting study in its own right and a useful comparator at a time of growing discussion and interest in the field of constitutionalism. The Canadian model with its Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides a source of influence and inspiration to the UK and other Commonwealth countries and is frequently used as a comparator particularly because of the multi-faceted nature of the Canadian state and the commitment of the Canadian Constitution to multi-culturalism. Canadian constitutional law is examined in comparative perspective.

This module introduces you to the history, structures, sources and nature of the Canadian Constitution. In particular the module examines the distinctive history of the Canadian constitutional arrangements and the development of a rich Canadian constitutional literature which has made a major contribution to discussions of constitutionalism and difference. The context of multi-national Canadian democracy provides a particularly interesting case study for an examination of Constitutional contestation and the course examines how this context has influenced the structure of the Canadian state, including Canadian federalism, constitutional change in Canada and the adjudication of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 1982 through the courts.

Contemporary International Theory

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

This module examines the role this tradition plays in the development of contemporary international theory (post-1945) and the establishment of orthodoxy. Major approaches and debates in the discipline will be examined and evaluated, and placed in the more general context of what is problematic about developing cumulative knowledge of social relations. Varieties of realism, liberalism and the English school approach will be considered as well as more recent critical engagements coming from Marxism, feminism, constructivism, postmodernism and globalism.

Development and the State

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module is concerned with the role of the state in development. It considers this subject matter  theoretically - that is, by exploring debates in state theory, and on the relationship between the state and development - empirically, by investigating a range of historical and contemporary state forms and the impacts of these state forms on processes of development, and normatively, by posing questions about what the nature and role of the state should ideally be.

The module examines the main theoretical approaches to the state and historical state forms and their attendant development experiences, in the north and in the post-colonial south. Finally, the module moves to development since the 1980s, exploring the impacts of state failure, neo-liberalism, democratisation and global governance on state forms and patterns of development.

Globalisation and Global Governance

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

This module complements International Political Economy I by applying a holistic, political and economic approach to an analysis of the changing character of the contemporary world. It examines the emergence and subsequent decline of the multilateral system and the rise of globalisation, especially the nature of global institutions such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the G8 meetings.

  You will also cover the rise of a global offshore financial system and delve deeper into the changing nature of state, firm and society in the age of globalisation. The module examines the changing character of the development project, from decolonialisation and the decline of the formal empires to the emergence of the third world and the contemporary debates concerning the nature of development, economic growth, human welfare and the environment.

Introduction to International Political Economy

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 2

The intensity and scope of the relationship between politics and economics has become a central element of international relations. This module offers a distinctive perspective in terms of which traditional issues of international relations - such as war, trade, integration and international society - can be studied. It considers the central theoretical traditions of international political economy: liberalism, realism, Marxism, neo-institutionalism, and critical theory. It then applies these diverse theoretical traditions in an analysis of the evolution of the state system from the 16th to the 20th century, paying particular attention to the relationship between class and state power, on the one hand, and the capitalist world economy, on the other.

Public Law II: Power, the Individual and the State

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

The module builds upon Public Law I to develop a deeper understanding of the British constitution and of constitutional law more generally. Drawing upon legal, political and social theory, you examine the theoretical principles of constitutions focussing upon the operation and distribution of power within the state and its impact upon the lives of groups and individuals. Both theories and historical accounts of legitimacy, democracy and human rights will be examined, and their operation in contemporary legal and political practice will be considered.

Security and Insecurity in Global Politics

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Security is central to the issue agenda of international relations. Traditionally security has been understood to comprise the question of the protection of sovereign territory through armed force. Security has thus examined issues such as arms races, war, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Traditionally these issues were addressed through a realist lens that regarded the state and its survival as the central conceptual maxims. However, contemporary scholarship concerning security has broadened this agenda considerably. New sources of insecurity have emerged outside the traditional state form, as can be seen in the rise of issues such as terrorism as well as wider 'complex emergencies' on the international security agenda. Moreover, the conceptual lenses for examining these questions of (in)security have also multiplied, giving rise to new referent objects of security and a wider security agenda encompassing issues such as identity, genocide, and the environment. This module introduces you to the broad issue agenda that shapes the contemporary study of (in)security. Each week it will focus on a different issue that defines the agenda of international security.

The Politics of Foreign Policy

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 2

Criminal Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module encompasses the elements of a crime; actus reus and mens rea; negligence and strict liability; the criminal liability of corporations and children; defences; accomplices; homicide; non-fatal offences against the person; sexual offences; theft and other property offences; damage to property; and inchoate offences. This module places the law within the framework of the Human Rights Act 1998. Some aspects of criminal law theory such as theories of punishment, why conduct should be criminalised, and issues of procedure and evidence that are relevant to the substantive law are covered.

Law and Policy of the European Union

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module examines the law and policy of the EU, with an emphasis on the role of law as a tool of European integration. The first part concentrates on a detailed study of the constitutional principles and values of the EU as expressed in the treaties and case law of the Court of Justice. The second half of the module addresses substantive law, particularly in relation to the single market (in persons, goods and services) and non-market issues such as citizenship of the European Union and protection of fundamental rights.

Access to Land

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Capitalism and Geopolitics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This multi-disciplinary module is designed to examine the relations between capitalism and geopolitics and how their interaction has shaped different political communities and world orders from the 17th century up to the 21st century. It explores the major theoretical traditions and debates, old and new, on the nexus between capitalism and geopolitics and combines these theoretical perspectives with in-depth interrogations of the historical material the key events, processes, actors that shaped this turbulent international history of war and peace, crises and revolutions, conquest and exploitation.

You critically re-examine the origins and co-development of the terms capitalism and geopolitics as real historical phenomena and associated discourses, 
You examine their interrelation across various historical periods and diverse theoretical registers. 

The first part of the module starts with an overview of the three classical traditions that have most centrally informed this discourse: the writings of Max Weber and Otto Hintze that assert the primacy of military competition for geopolitical orders and that have - since the mid-1980s inspired a Neo-Weberian turn in Historical Sociology and IR; the works of Fernand Braudel and Immanuel Wallerstein updated and extended by neo-Gramscian IR Theory - that stress the rise of commercial exchange and the construction of successive world hegemonies; and the ideas of Karl Marx that, although short on specific arguments on geopolitics, have more recently led to intense debates within the Neo-Marxist literature on how to conceptualise capitalist social relations and class conflict in their effects on inter-state conflict and co-operation across the centuries.

Against this theoretical setting, the second part of the module examines sequentially a number of different historical geopolitical orders dynastic-absolutist, 19th century British hegemony, imperialist, fascist, liberal and contemporary and the transitions between them on the basis of divergent and contested interpretations deriving from the three classical traditions. The aim is to provide a set of theoretically-informed and empirically-controlled analyses of the ways in which capitalism and geopolitics have shaped each other and constituted varieties of territorial orders in historical perspective.

Capitalism and Geopolitics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This multi-disciplinary module is designed to examine the relations between capitalism and geopolitics and how their interaction has shaped different political communities and world orders from the 17th century up to the 21st century. It explores the major theoretical traditions and debates, old and new, on the nexus between capitalism and geopolitics and combines these theoretical perspectives with in-depth interrogations of the historical material the key events, processes, actors that shaped this turbulent international history of war and peace, crises and revolutions, conquest and exploitation.

You critically re-examine the origins and co-development of the terms capitalism and geopolitics as real historical phenomena and associated discourses, 
You examine their interrelation across various historical periods and diverse theoretical registers. 

The first part of the module starts with an overview of the three classical traditions that have most centrally informed this discourse: the writings of Max Weber and Otto Hintze that assert the primacy of military competition for geopolitical orders and that have - since the mid-1980s inspired a Neo-Weberian turn in Historical Sociology and IR; the works of Fernand Braudel and Immanuel Wallerstein updated and extended by neo-Gramscian IR Theory - that stress the rise of commercial exchange and the construction of successive world hegemonies; and the ideas of Karl Marx that, although short on specific arguments on geopolitics, have more recently led to intense debates within the Neo-Marxist literature on how to conceptualise capitalist social relations and class conflict in their effects on inter-state conflict and co-operation across the centuries.

Against this theoretical setting, the second part of the module examines sequentially a number of different historical geopolitical orders dynastic-absolutist, 19th century British hegemony, imperialist, fascist, liberal and contemporary and the transitions between them on the basis of divergent and contested interpretations deriving from the three classical traditions. The aim is to provide a set of theoretically-informed and empirically-controlled analyses of the ways in which capitalism and geopolitics have shaped each other and constituted varieties of territorial orders in historical perspective.

Commercial Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

One of the most powerful influences on human activity is the driving force of trade. Commercial law is primarily concerned with the rights and duties arising from the supply of goods and services by way of trade. This module adopts the specific-contract approach to the subject and focuses on the paradigm commercial transaction – the sale and supply of goods by one merchant to another.

Company Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Topics covered include:

• Introduction to company law: an outline of the new statute: Companies Act 2006; the inter-relationship between statute and the common law; the role of the European Company Law Harmonisation Programme; Company Law in context, theory and history.
• Legal personality and limited liability: different categories of companies (the private/public divide); the rule in Salomon's case and lifting the veil of incorporation.
• The promotion of companies: the role of the Stock Exchange and investor protection; the role, duties and liabilities of the promoter; pre-incorporation contracts.
• The relationship between the company and the outside world: the objects of the company and the rise and fall of the ultra vires rule; the nullity principle; the internal operations of the company and their effect on third parties; principles of agency/vicarious liability, corporate crimes and criminal liability.
• The internal relations within the company: shareholders inter se; inter-relationship between the company's constitution and the Companies Act; alteration of the constitution; different classes of shares; preference shares and the alteration of their rights; the company and its employees; the stakeholder debate.
• The role of corporate governance in company life: the regulatory framework for companies; self-regulation by business and Government intervention; the work of the CG committees, a definition of CG and Corporate Social Responsibility;
• The management of the company: composition of the board of directors; formalities of management; division of functions between the company's organs.
• The qualification of directors: different kinds of directors (non-executive/executive; nominee; shadow; de facto); how are directors qualified?; the disqualification framework..
• Directors' duties and their enforcement: the new statutory statement of duties; to whom are the duties owed?; the rule in Foss v. Harbottle; derivative and representative actions.
• Protection of minority shareholders: just and equitable winding up; the action for unfair prejudice.

Comparative Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module is designed to offer you an introduction to the subject of comparative law, its methodology and rationale. It permits you to appreciate the diversity in the legal systems of the world, their history as well as their contemporary development, particularly in the context of law reform, the phenomenon of legal transplants and the competition between legal systems for adherents, including such concepts as legal imperialism. The major legal systems (including common law and civilian) will be explored through their context, structure and rule-formation process as well an analysis of discrete topics (selected from the public and private law areas, including constitutional law, administrative law, criminal law, property law and the law of obligations). Finally, the role of comparative law as an agent of harmonisation and the formation of international rules, benchmarks and standards will be explored.

Competition Law of the European Union

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

The module examines the detailed rules of competition law and policy in the EU. You cover the law relating to cartels, abuses of dominant position, mergers, enforcement, state aid and the application of competition law to public services and undertakings entrusted with services of general economic interest.

Conflict and Military Intervention: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This seminar analyses what might loosely be called the "new security environment" and its impacts on international relations. During the term, we will undertake a theoretical and, more crucially, policy relevant analysis of the security threats that have led to a growing incidence of inter-state and intra-state conflict in spite of the hopes engendered by a post-Cold War 'New World (Dis)Order'. We will examine for the most part the causal factors, dynamics and domestic as well as international efforts at managing and resolving through political, diplomatic and military efforts intra-state conflicts. Beyond examining the relevant theoretical concepts and viewpoints, we will also explore their propositions within the framework of case studies from a variety of conflict areas. The main focus will be on the relationship between international politics and the employment of soft and hard power in order to resolve such security threats. Particular emphasis will be given to the problems and challenges stemming from the growing trend of humanitarian/military intervention in international politics. Furthermore, the conduct of the 'Global War on Terror' and its implications for international security will be examined in detail.

You are required to be conversant with major international relations theories and have a good grasp of contemporary international history and events in order to make the most of this dissertation option. These two areas will enable you to then explore in detail the theories that specifically relate to conflict and the case studies that relate to the contemporary post-9/11 security trends, many of which had been in fact developing since the end of the Cold War.
The main emphasis of this module is to explain and understand conflict and its resolution from an empirical, pragmatic and policy-oriented (rather that reflectivist and philosophical) perspective. Intensive study will be required as many of the empirical and theoretical approaches that will be explored will be new to most students in any case. 

Contemporary Issues in the Global Political Economy

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The central theme running through this module is how the architecture of existing capitalism has to be adjusted or brought into balance with the needs of expanding markets. We begin by looking at attempts by global governance institutions like the WTO (World Trade Organisation) to create a largely deregulated world market. We then examine how financial systems are expanding and how the stock market has become a key institution of modern capitalism. We discuss then the changing nature of multinational corporations and the state as they reorient themselves towards a global market. We examine empirically the post-Cold War expansion of capitalism into Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Finally, we analyse the most recent developments in world affairs from a political economy perspective, looking at the increasing military bias of foreign policy of major capitalist states, as well as at the changing nature of anti-capitalist protest in the wake of 9/11.

Contemporary Issues in the Global Political Economy: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The central theme running through this module is how the architecture of existing capitalism has to be adjusted or brought into balance with the needs of expanding markets. We begin by looking at attempts by global governance institutions like the WTO to create a largely deregulated world market. We then examine how financial systems are expanding and how the stock market has become a key institution of modern capitalism. We discuss then the changing nature of multinational corporations and the state as they reorient themselves towards a global market. We examine empirically the post-Cold War expansion of capitalism into Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Finally, we analyse the most recent developments in world affairs from a political economy perspective, looking at the increasing military bias of foreign policy of major capitalist states, as well as at the changing nature of anti-capitalist protest in the wake of 9/11.

Corporate Finance and Insolvency

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module is designed to offer you an introduction to the topics of corporate finance, security and insolvency. It allows you to appreciate the role of security in the financing of business, its importance when compared to equity financing, and the diversity of techniques used for the securitization of participants' entitlements. The module is also designed to enable you to consider how the presence of asset-security and the disparity between the position of various categories of creditors have an impact in insolvency, what procedures are available and how outcomes are affected by the presence of security, including the consequent restructuring potential for corporate debtors.

Criminology

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

The first part of the module considers the development of explanations for criminal offending, looking at the classical and positivist schools of criminology as well as sociological, psychological and behaviouralist approaches. It concludes by examining the more radical alternatives offered by neo-Marxist and feminist criminologists, the so called ‘Left Realists’ and contemporary criminology. The second part looks at the more practical dimensions of criminal justice, dealing with crime statistics and victim surveys; victims in the criminal justice system; punishment, rehabilitation and compensation; diversion of offenders; sentencing and penal policy; imprisonment and prison regimes; and non-custodial and community sentences.

Development and Geopolitics in East Asia: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The aim of this module is for you to understand the rise of East Asia through examining the interconnections between regional development and geopolitical contestation in the Cold War and contemporary eras. You will adopt an historical approach, beginning with an examination of the legacies of European and Japanese imperialism in East Asia and an analysis of the establishment of post-war US hegemony in the region and its implications for subsequent economic development.

You will examine the divergent experiences of Northeast and Southeast Asia and the rise of China. We then explore the implications of the decline of Cold War geopolitical rivalry and the rise of 'globalisation' and its role in explaining subsequent trends such as the East Asian financial crisis, East Asian regionalism and the changing nature of US-China relations. Within this historical context, you will examine varying analytical frameworks and debates concerning late development, such as neoclassical versus structural institutionalism, Marxist vs. dependency theories, international/regional vs. domestic factors, etc. You will examine such theories critically, both in terms of their analytical purchase and their origins and role in geopolitical rivalry itself.

Dissertation

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module involves you researching and writing a 10,000 word dissertation on a subject of your choice. Having chosen your research topic in consultation with a supervisor, you work under the guidance of your supervisor for the duration of the academic year. The teaching component of the module takes place during the first teaching block only and is seminar-based. The seminars are designed to equip you with the research skills required to complete your dissertations. The topics covered include: research methodology, writing up, advanced word processing, and researching online. You submit a 2,000 word research proposal to your supervisor during the first term and receive feedback on this. You also present your research proposals to the tutor and the other students at one of the seminars towards the end of the first term. The module seeks to develop the skills of independent research and learning; good time management; the ability to reflect upon progress; and an appreciation of the value of constructive criticism.

Employment Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Employment law is one of the fastest growing areas of law and practice: the volume of both case law and legislation is considerable. The election of a different political party to government inevitably brings new employment legislation in its wake and the current coalition government which seeks to reconcile rather different aspirations is producing fairly radical proposals for change. It is against this backdrop that the module seeks to examine and explore both the individual contract of employment and the tripartite relationship involving employers, employees and trade unions. You look at the dramatic changes in working arrangements (such as the growing participation and influence of women in the workforce coupled with the very varied patterns of work (such as part-time/casuals/agency/flexible working),the employee/self-employed distinction, the employment contract and its sources with particular reference to implied terms such as mutual trust and confidence and also the controversial expansion of employers' liability to encompass psychiatric harm caused by stress at work. Protection of wages and limitations on working hours, together with 'family-friendly' entitlements covering maternity, paternity, adoptive and parental issues, are also examined. Topics of current interest which also now feature in the module are 'whistleblowing', restraint of trade covenants and references. Thereafter, the module addresses termination of employment, in particular wrongful and unfair dismissal, redundancy and transfers. Last but certainly not least the important and expanding subject of discrimination and equality law is examined in some detail, including sex, religion or belief, race, disability and age. We also examine equal pay issues in this section of the module. Overall, the aim is to make the module informative, relevant and stimulating by combining the academic aspects of employment law with an appreciation of current developments and proposals in this dynamic area of law which affects all our lives. To keep you abreast of the latest developments, particularly in relation to the most substantial second term topic of discrimination and equality law, separate handbooks are issued at the start of each main teaching term.

Environment and Development in World Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The question of whether current forms of economic and political organisation in international society are capable of responding to the challenge of sustainable development is more pertinent than ever before. Questions are being asked about how development can be redefined to accommodate ecological challenges or whether we need to fundamentally rethink notions of growth and progress. This module takes a critical look at the actors and issues implicated in the emerging global debate on sustainable development. It engages with competing theoretical perspectives about the drivers of environmental change and how best to explain the nature of international cooperation on the environment and its limits, but also aims to provide you with a detailed understanding of the defining issues and tensions that constitute the struggle to define future notions of development.

The module will address empirical case studies such as climate change, biodiversity and biotechnology and deforestation as well as the relationship between trade and the environment, finance and the environment and production and the environment in a context of globalisation. You will gain an understanding of the key actors in these debates from governments and international institutions to civil society organisations and corporations and the ways their power and influence can best be understood.

The module begins with an overview of the shifting nature of the relationship between environment and development in world politics before looking at the key actors in global debates about sustainable development. From there it sets out a range of theoretical tools for understanding the global politics of these issues before focussing in on a range of issue areas, those listed above. It concludes with reflection on prospects for change and the viability of alternative proposals for better addressing the environment and development in world politics

Environment and Development in World Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The question of whether current forms of economic and political organisation in international society are capable of responding to the challenge of sustainable development is more pertinent than ever before. Questions are being asked about how development can be redefined to accommodate ecological challenges or whether we need to fundamentally rethink notions of growth and progress. This module takes a critical look at the actors and issues implicated in the emerging global debate on sustainable development. It engages with competing theoretical perspectives about the drivers of environmental change and how best to explain the nature of international cooperation on the environment and its limits, but also aims to provide you with a detailed understanding of the defining issues and tensions that constitute the struggle to define future notions of development.

The module will address empirical case studies such as climate change, biodiversity and biotechnology and deforestation as well as the relationship between trade and the environment, finance and the environment and production and the environment in a context of globalisation. You will gain an understanding of the key actors in these debates from governments and international institutions to civil society organisations and corporations and the ways their power and influence can best be understood.

The module begins with an overview of the shifting nature of the relationship between environment and development in world politics before looking at the key actors in global debates about sustainable development. From there it sets out a range of theoretical tools for understanding the global politics of these issues before focussing in on a range of issue areas, those listed above. It concludes with reflection on prospects for change and the viability of alternative proposals for better addressing the environment and development in world politics

Environmental Law 1

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Environmental Law 2

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Ethics in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Family Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module introduces you to the most important rules of family law. But it does more than just outline the rules on marriage and divorce, parental status and parental responsibility, child protection, domestic violence, contact and residence disputes, etc. It also considers the application of those rules in the social and political context that frames them. The module requires you to think about the nature of the family in it broadest sense (to include married and unmarried partners in adult relationships, and the great variety of ways in which adults raise and care for children) and to consider the appropriateness of the rules that govern the family in law. You will also be required to reflect on the place of law in the regulation of family life. The module will, for that reason, be both theoretical and extremely practical; and it will be both thoroughly legal (in a black letter sense) and a little sociological.

Finance and Power

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module considers the globalisation of finance and the structure of the power relations that drive it. You will examine the ways in which global finance is constructed on the basis of power struggles, and how financialisation empowers certain actors over others. The module begins by examining various forms of financial systems and their social ramifications. You will then examine how the process of globalisation affects the evolution of these financial systems and the social struggles over the direction of change. The module addresses the impacts of financialisation on the project of development, the convergence of various economic systems, and the formulation of progressive politics. Finally you will consider the regulation of finance and the various challenges it raises for political authorities and social forces.

Finance and Power: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module considers the globalisation of finance and the structure of the power relations that drive it. You will examine the ways in which global finance is constructed on the basis of power struggles, and how financialisation empowers certain actors over others. The module begins by examining various forms of financial systems and their social ramifications. You will then examine how the process of globalisation affects the evolution of these financial systems and the social struggles over the direction of change. The module addresses the impacts of financialisation on the project of development, the convergence of various economic systems, and the formulation of progressive politics. Finally you will consider the regulation of finance and the various challenges it raises for political authorities and social forces.

Global Business Law and Regulation

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Global Resistance: Subjects and Practices: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Hate Crime and the Law

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Healthcare Law and Ethics

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module introduces you to a number of key contemporary issues and debates within the field of health care law and policy. As well as gaining knowledge of the subject's substantive legal rules, you will acquire an understanding of the main ethical principles underlying these. The module is also designed to create an awareness of the historical development of health care law and policy and of how their contemporary nature is influenced by wider political and economic transformations at the national, EU and global levels.

Human Rights

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Human rights has become part of the contemporary political discourse, so much so that we generally take for granted that we know what the concept covers. Today almost everyone around the globe is acquainted with the idea of human rights. We often hear about 'human rights', especially in the media. This module covers both domestic and international human rights systems as well as theoretical critiques of human rights (eg by cultural relativists and feminists). It also looks at contemporary human rights issues and some of the current challenges facing the human rights community.

Intellectual Property Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

The module covers aspects of the law of copyright, unregistered and registered trade marks, confidential information and patents. The module aims to introduce you to the principles of intellectual property law and its philosophical and economic justifications, but it will also encourage in-depth analysis of particular issues in the law and policy of intellectual property, such as internet 'piracy' and access to medicines in developing countries. The focus of the module will be on UK law and policy, however reference will be made to EU and international law where relevant.

International Business Transactions

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

International Litigation

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

The module examines particularly the law and practice of the International Court of Justice. Other tribunals that will be covered include ICSID (International Centre for Settlement of International Disputes), the WTO, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, and the Iran-US Claims Tribunal. On this module you may also be offered the opportunity to take part in an international law mooting competition.

Note: Students who participate in the moot are assessed by unseen examination and memorial; students who do not participate in the mooting competition are assessed by unseen examination and essay.

Internet Law and Regulation

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Law and Development

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Law and the Creative Industries

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Law in International Relations: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module provides a historical overview of the political context and development of international law, an introduction to the most important theoretical issues arising out of the relationship of international politics and law, and a discussion of the relevance and meaning of recent changes in international law. Finally, it introduces you to three important areas and their respective institutions and issues: public international law, the International Court of Justice and issues of sovereignty and intervention; private international law, the World Trade Organisation, and issues of property; criminal international law, the International Criminal Court and tribunals, and issues of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Legal Theory

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Life, Power and Resistance: Critical Perspectives on the Post-Westphalian Era

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Political discourses of globalisation make implicit claims about the weakening of the state and the evolution, if not outright demise, of the 'Westphalian System'. This module interrogates claims about the arrival of a post-Westphalian era and its transformation of the realms of war, politics and ethics. It critically examines the specific legal, institutional and subjective manifestations of this post-Westphalian era in contemporary world politics, such the international Human Rights regime, the emphasis on democratisation and the evolution of humanitarian intervention. The module ends by examining a number of theoretical perspectives on power and resistance in a global era.

Marxism and International Relations

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module enables you to engage systematically with the Marxist tradition of theorising about international relations. It provides an introduction to Marx’s own thought, using selections from primary texts, and then examines how later Marxist writers have applied and developed these ideas across a range of themes in international studies, including imperialism, the Cold War, international political economy and globalisation theory.

Marxism and International Relations: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module enables you to engage systematically with the Marxist tradition of theorising about international relations. It provides an introduction to Marx’s own thought, using selections from primary texts, and then examines how later Marxist writers have applied and developed these ideas across a range of themes in international studies, including imperialism, the Cold War, international political economy and globalisation theory.

Media Law and Regulation

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Mercenaries, Gangs and Terrorists: Private Security in International Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Personal Property Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Personal property law is probably the most important and yet the most neglected and least understood aspect of English law. Historically this discipline was neglected because it was commonly, but misleadingly, regarded as belonging to a number of entirely separate legal categories. This module adopts a concept-orientated approach, avoiding the specific-contract approach that has hitherto impoverished the study of the concepts and philosophy of personal property law in England and Wales.

Political Economy of the Environment: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Private International Law

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Professional Liability

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Professional Liability encompasses a range of areas of law - notably tort, contract, criminal law, professional regulation and self-regulation - which govern the activities of professionals. This module will examine this specialist area of law, looking at the nature and definition of professions, the general legal and regulatory principles, and their application to selected professions.

Public International Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

Public International Law governs the relations between states. Increasingly, during the 20th and early 21st centuries it has also come to regulate the activity of individuals and organisations. This module aims to provide a grounding in the basic concepts and general principles of international law. You will be encouraged to examine the legal basis of international law, the sources of the law and the relationship between international law and national law. The module will also examine recent developments and matters of controversy in international law and will introduce you to interdisciplinary aspects of the study of international law.

Religions in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

During this module you will explore the implications of the 'return' of religions, both for world politics and for thinking about international relations. Many sociologists and philosophers have interpreted this return as 'the end of modernity' or the 'de-secularisation of the world'. You will primarily focus on the renewed centrality of religious identities as strategic frames of reference for politics in the post-Cold War world. Against the background of the growing multicultural nature of contemporary international society resulting from what Hedley Bull has aptly termed the 'revolt against the West', the module will encourage you to, firstly, problematise the implicit and predominant reading of religion in international relations as the ultimate threat to international order and stability (especially in the forms of the identity politics of the 'new wars' and the terrorist attacks of religious fundamentalists), secondly, to engage critically with Huntington's thesis of the 'clash of civilisations' and thirdly to discuss the implications of this 'return' for the future of foreign policy and the normative structure and world order of contemporary international society.

Religions in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

During this module you will explore the implications of the 'return' of religions, both for world politics and for thinking about international relations. Many sociologists and philosophers have interpreted this return as 'the end of modernity' or the 'de-secularisation of the world'. You will primarily focus on the renewed centrality of religious identities as strategic frames of reference for politics in the post-Cold War world. Against the background of the growing multicultural nature of contemporary international society resulting from what Hedley Bull has aptly termed the 'revolt against the West', the module will encourage you to, firstly, problematise the implicit and predominant reading of religion in international relations as the ultimate threat to international order and stability (especially in the forms of the identity politics of the 'new wars' and the terrorist attacks of religious fundamentalists), secondly, to engage critically with Huntington's thesis of the 'clash of civilisations' and thirdly to discuss the implications of this 'return' for the future of foreign policy and the normative structure and world order of contemporary international society.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union in Global Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module explores the international politics of post-Soviet Russia and the former Soviet space.  After a period of relative decline in the 1990s, Russia has more recently been described as a "rising Great Power" and developments in the CIS have returned to the news - from "gas wars" to the conflict between Russia and Georgia, and from the "democratic revolutions" in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan to the apparent erosion of democracy in Russia. 

These developments have implications for Western Europe and beyond, touching on traditional and contemporary security issues, and shedding light on the implications of Western democracy promotion and the role of norms and identity in contemporary global politics. 

This module will investigate the background for - and current development of - international relations in the region. You will look in detail at Russia's status as Great Power; the "colour revolutions" in Ukraine and Georgia; NATO and the US in the former Soviet space; the question of Europe's "energy security" and its relations with Russia; and what has been called the "new Great Game" between Russia, China and the US in Central Asia. In doing this, it will introduce relevant theoretical concepts related to foreign policy analysis and constructivist explanations of the role of norms and identity in the international politics of Russia and the FSU.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module explores the international politics of post-Soviet Russia and the former Soviet space. After a period of relative decline in the 1990s, Russia has more recently been described as 'rising Great Power' and developments in the CIS have returned to the news - from 'gas wars' to the conflict between Russia and Georgia, from the 'democratic revolutions' in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan to the apparent erosion of democracy in Russia and talk of a "new Cold War" between Russia and the West.

These are developments with implications for Western Europe and beyond, touching on traditional and new security issues alike, and shedding light on the implications of Western democracy promotion and the role of norms and identity in contemporary global politics.

The module will investigate the background for and current development of international relations in the region - in particular Russia's status as great power, the 'colour revolutions' in Ukraine and Georgia and the 2008 war between Georgia and Russia, NATO and the US in the former Soviet space, the question of Europe's 'energy security' and its relations with Russia, and what has been called the 'new Great Game' between Russia, China and the US in Central Asia. In doing this, it will introduce relevant theoretical concepts related to foreign policy analysis and constructivist explanations of the role of norms and identity in the international politics of Russia and the FSU.

Sex and Death in Global Politics: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Short Dissertation A

15 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

Short Dissertation B

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

Sociology of Law

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

The first part of the module introduces you to a variety of historical and contemporary sociological perspectives on law. Taking the theme of the relationship between law and modernity as its point of departure, this part begins with a consideration of some of the key works of the founders of the sociology of law. Thereafter, you are introduced to contemporary literature in both sociology and law that analyses the nature of some important changes in contemporary Western societies (including in politics and the economy) and how these developments may be affecting traditional understandings of the nature and function of law and regulation.

The second part of the module is designed to enable you to think through the ideas and theories explored in part one in the context of a particular institution the welfare state. The types of question that will interest us here include the following: how has the way in which states provide for the social protection of their citizens altered over time? What role has law played in this? What is 'social law', and how (and why) might its nature have changed in the light of recent developments in the welfare state? What can contemporary social policy reveal about the relationship between the citizen and the state? What is the relationship between law, the welfare state, and the economy today? We will think through possible answers to these questions via a consideration of some examples from the field of social policy for instance, health care, unemployment, and social housing.

The Arms Trade in International Politics

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

The Conservation of Biological Diversity in International Law and Policy

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The Ethics and Conduct of Lawyers

15 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

The Law of Evidence

30 credits
Autumn & spring teaching, Year 3

This module is a study of the law of evidence in England and Wales but we also take the opportunity to examine and assess selected developments in other common law jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada and the USA. An outline of the history and development of evidence law puts into context the significance of key principles as developed very largely by case-law and, increasingly, now to be found in statutory provisions. From the last quarter of the 20th century to the present day we examine and assess the significant impact that issues such as re-balancing the interests of victims as against those of defendants plus the rapid development of anti-terrorist legislation aimed at protecting society are having on the fundamental principles of presumption of innocence, burden of proof and right of silence.

The overall objective of a fair trial is considered in both domestic and ECtHR jurisprudence. We also explore the impact of changes over the same period on the worrying prevalence of miscarriages of justice in areas such as confession evidence and eyewitness identification. The two major exclusionary rules of evidence - bad character and hearsay - are examined in some depth in the latter part of the module and we also address important issues relating to witnesses, such as competence, compellability, special measures for vulnerable or intimidated witnesses and the very vexed question of sexual history evidence. To ensure particularly that the rapidly developing law on bad character and hearsay is as up-to-date as possible, separate handbooks are issued at the start of each main teaching term.

The Politics of International Trade: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module aims to equip you with an understanding of the international trade system and the theoretical traditions that have helped to shape it. It will begin by examining the core theories around trade and trade liberalisation, particularly those of liberalism, economic nationalism and neo-Marxism and other critical approaches, in order to explore different understandings of the relationship between trade and development. The empirical section of the module will start by examining the creation of the post-WWII trade regime centered on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and its evolution to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 1995. Core elements of, and controversies within, the global trade system will be scrutinised and situated within this historical context. These will include the fragmentation of the trade system engendered by regional trade agreements, the increasing role of emerging powers, including China, India and Brazil, and the impact of the trade system on developing countries. The module will also examine the contentious treatment of agriculture within the WTO and analyse the debates concerning ethical trade, gender and trade and the enviornment. Drawing on all of the above and integrated throughout the module, the module will evaluate and elucidate the current round of WTO trade negotiations - the Doha Development Agenda - with the aim of understanding why it has stalled and to consider the future prospects for a more equitable trading system.

The Politics of Terror

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

This module addresses the relationship between fear, security and identity in international politics. Typically, security is taken to defend already existing identities such as the national interest or the integrity of the environment. However, during this module you will explore the argument that security constitutes identity in relation to fear. That is to say, rather than simply defending extant entities, discourses of security produce novel identities. These identities are produced in relation to perceived fears. The question thus becomes how are fears constituted and what identities are secured against such perceived threats?

The module will begin with an examination of the nature of fear and identity in international politics. The remainder of the module will comprise an examination of the broadened security agenda of the post-Cold war era. The purpose of this examination will be to show the multiple ways in which fear is mobilised and the manifold identities thus produced. The consequences of such fears and identities will be examined in relation to cases such as ethnic nationalist conflict.

The Politics of Terror

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

This module offers an advanced level introduction to terrorism and political violence in modern societies. Through attention to case studies, academic literatures and original sources the module focuses on:

- the conceptual and analytical challenges of defining and understanding terrorism and political violence 
- terror as a political instrument
- the relationship between state and non-state terror
- the historical development of terrorism and counterterrorism
- the organisational, ideological and strategic dynamics of terrorist organisations
- the policy dilemmas faced and principle methodologies employed by democratic and other states in countering terrorism
- the role of media, mass communication and 'public dismodule' in political violence

The module is divided into two sections. The first, studying terrorism: historical and conceptual issues, offers a thematic exploration of terrorism considering its historical development in modern societies; relation to other forms of organised violence; some of the animating ideas historically associated with the use of terror for political purposes; the phenomenon of 'suicide terrorism' and the ideas, organisations and practices used by states in their efforts to counter terrorism. The second section, cases and contexts, situates terrorism and political violence within the changing context of state power, international and global politics, exploring the historical and contemporary relations between them. We conclude  by surveying the origins and contemporary character of al-Qaeda type terrorism and how states have sought to counter it.

The United States in the World

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

As the 21st century begins, the United States is still the world's only superpower: no other nation possesses comparable military and economic power or has interests that reach the entire globe. To understand the place and power of the US in the contemporary world, it is vital to understand how its geopolitical strategies function, militarily and economically. Yet because US power is also secured through cultural and discursive strategies, it is equally important to analyse how US cultural/discursive products and processes participate in the construction of the US in all the varied ways it imagines itself. The aim of this module is to analyse how US cultural/discursive strategies participate in imagining the US in the world, either by being embedded within traditional geopolitical strategies or by sitting alongside them. Rather than taking an historical approach, the module is organised around specific theoretical and cultural/discursive themes and practices. These include architectural theory and the building of embassies abroad, design theory and designing the nation through everyday objects, film theory and screening the nation through popular film, remediation theory and virtually remediating the nation, entertainmentality theory and exhibiting the nation in museums, performance/performativity theory and re-enacting the nation though historical re-enactments as well as song, and advertising theory and advertising the nation to US citizens. Along the way, significant foreign and domestic policy debates from Cold War politics to the War on Terror to the US domestic War on illegal immigration will be considered through political, cultural, and discursive theories (eg Said's notion of orientalism, Foucault's notion of governmentality, Butler's notion of performativity, and Ranciere's notion of the birth of the nation).

The United States in the World: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

As the 21st century begins, the United States is still the world's only superpower: no other nation possesses comparable military and economic power or has interests that reach the entire globe. To understand the place and power of the US in the contemporary world, it is vital to understand how its geopolitical strategies function, militarily and economically. Yet because US power is also secured through cultural and discursive strategies, it is equally important to analyse how US cultural/discursive products and processes participate in the construction of the US in all the varied ways it imagines itself. The aim of this module is to analyse how US cultural/discursive strategies participate in imagining the US in the world, either by being embedded within traditional geopolitical strategies or by sitting alongside them. Rather than taking an historical approach, the module is organised around specific theoretical and cultural/discursive themes and practices. These include architectural theory and the building of embassies abroad, design theory and designing the nation through everyday objects, film theory and screening the nation through popular film, remediation theory and virtually remediating the nation, entertainmentality theory and exhibiting the nation in museums, performance/performativity theory and re-enacting the nation though historical re-enactments as well as song, and advertising theory and advertising the nation to US citizens. Along the way, significant foreign and domestic policy debates from Cold War politics to the War on Terror to the US domestic War on Illegal Immigration will be considered through political, cultural, and discursive theories (eg Said's notion of orientalism, Foucault's notion of governmentality, Butler's notion of performativity, and Ranciere's notion of the birth of the nation).

What is War

30 credits
Autumn teaching, Year 3

You will gain an advanced understanding of the place of war in the political world. What is war and how, if at all, is it different from other forms of violence? What is the relationship between war and politics? We will ask what war is and then investigate its relation to the fields of ethics, gender, sexuality, and culture. You will then use this knowledge to investigate specific forms of warfare, including genocide as a war of annihilation, insurgency/guerrilla warfare, and counterinsurgency. We conclude by addressing anti-war activism and related forms of civil disobedience as alternatives to war. You are provided with an advanced knowledge and analytical skills that will help you to think, talk, and write in an informed and critical manner about war.

What is War: in-depth Analysis

30 credits
Spring teaching, Year 3

You will gain an advanced understanding of the place of war in the political world. What is war and how, if at all, is it different from other forms of violence? What is the relationship between war and politics? We will ask what war is and then investigate its relation to the fields of ethics, gender, sexuality, and culture. You will then use this knowledge to investigate specific forms of warfare, including genocide as a war of annihilation, insurgency/guerrilla warfare, and counterinsurgency. We conclude by addressing anti-war activism and related forms of civil disobedience as alternatives to war. You are provided with an advanced knowledge and analytical skills that will help you to think, talk, and write in an informed and critical manner about war.