Philosophy of Law

Module Leader:
Márton Varjú
Status:
Confirmed
Year/Term:
2018-2019 Summer
Level:
Immersion 1
Division:
Social Sciences
Credit:
8

The main objective of the module is to introduce students to the most important theoretical, conceptual and critical frameworks developed in legal scholarship concerning the operation of legal institutions and law as a system, the relationship between law and values, and the interplay between law and its socio-economic context. Understanding the role of legal reasoning in law as a discipline will be given a special emphasis. The module will cover the most relevant Anglo-Saxon legal thinkers (Austin, Fuller, Hart, Dworkin, Raz, Rawls, Posner, Unger, Kennedy, Fineman) including contemporaries, such as Sunstein, Lessig, Jasanoff,
Brownsword). In the module, students will work will work with primary (e.g., legal provisions, judicial decision) and secondary legal resources (i.e., legal scholarship), and will develop their understanding of legal issues through problem-based learning. Emphasis will be given to students being able to develop coherent (coherently argued) responses to individual legal
problems. Upon completing the module, students will be able to work with complex legal concepts, apply the argumentative frameworks developed in legal theory and critical legal studies, identify the central dilemmas raised by legal thinking, and develop skills in legal interpretation and basic legal analysis. The course is mainly intended for students who are interested in law/legal studies, politics and public policy, and international relations/law.

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