LW3IGS-International Law and Global Security

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: recommended that students have taken LW2FIL
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Alex Gilder
Email: a.f.gilder@reading.ac.uk

Module Co-convenor: Prof Rosa Freedman
Email: r.a.freedman@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module examines the role and relevance of international law to fundamental questions of global security. Various crucial sub-areas of international law relate to global security concerns (e.g., the use of force and armed conflict, terrorism, environmental damage and natural hazards, international crimes such as genocide and war crimes, migration and refugee protection, nuclear weapons, the implications of international trade and investment practices for human security, and many others).. This module will explore a number of these areas in depth, although the exact areas covered may change slightly each year.Ìý The core focus of the module, across relevant areas, is the assessment of international law’s ability to respond to global security concerns. The module also gives students the opportunity to engage with the process of a key global security mechanism, through an interactive UN Security Council debate exercise through a practical assessment on resolving a global security crisis.

Aims:

TheThis module aims to expose students to a range of crucial sub-areas ofperspectives within and beyond international law that engage with questions of global security. It will not only provide both a descriptive account of thesevarious areas of international law, as well as ensuringbut also ensure that students are able to analysis and critique the lawanalyse and processes in these areas, and particularly to critique the ability of international law and the broader international system to respond to global security questions in a range of areas, from states’crises. We will consider the role of different actors such as states, regional organisations, NGOs, and corporations, and also discuss issues of national security to wider human security at the local, regional and global levels. A further aim is toStudents will develop students’an understanding of international law’s application to areas of global security in practice, through the use of . We will examine geographic case studies and of contemporary security issues and undertake a practical assessment to immerse students in the UN Security Council debate exercise.practicalities of resolving a global security crisis.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of the module, students will be expected to be able to:

• Demonstrate a substantive knowledge of a number of sub-areas of international law that engage questions of global security.


• Debate and critique the relative merits and demerits of these sub-areas of international law, particularly in terms of their ability to respond to global security challenges, and of the legal claims advanced by states in relation to them in specific case studies.


• Demonstrate an ability to engage with the processes of the international legal system, in an interactive group UN Security Council debate exercise on resolving a global security crisis, and be able to reflect on this process and link it to substantive knowledge of the role and processes ofof different actors in the Security Councilglobal system.

Additional outcomes:

Those skills listed in the School of Law's ‘Core Skills Statement’.

Outline content:

The module will usually cover topics such as the following, although exact topics may vary slightly from year to year:

• The Use of Force in Human security


• International Lawactors and institutions


• Use of force


• International Humanitarian Law/ Law of Armed Conflict


• International Law and Nuclear Weaponsweapons


• International Law and Terrorism


• International Criminal Law
  
• International Environmental Law


• International Law and Disasters


• International Trade Law


• International Investment Law


• Disaster Risk Management


• International Refugee Law

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

This module will beis taught by way of 20 hours of livestreamed lectures (in 1 and associated activities, four 2-hour or 2 hour blocks), spread across the Autumn and Spring Terms.Ìý The lectures will be interspersed with 4 x 2 hourin-person seminars (two in each term), for which students are expected to prepare for by undertaking specific readings, and preparing questions for discussion.Ìý In addition, it the Autumn Term, students take part in a 2 hour group UN Security Council one 2- hour debate exercise (practical. The number of hours listed is the equivalent to the material or a live class), led by of the tutor.same length, and thus include associated exercises. In the weeks where we have no live seminars, there is an optional online drop-in session (see timetable).

Contact hours:

Ìý	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	10	10
Seminars	2	2
Practicals classes and workshops		2
Guided independent study:	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Ìý Ìý Wider reading (independent)	10	10
Ìý Ìý Wider reading (directed)	25	25
Ìý Ìý Exam revision/preparation			15
Ìý Ìý Preparation for seminars	4	4
Ìý Ìý Preparation for performance		4
Ìý Ìý Preparation of practical report	7
Ìý Ìý Completion of formative assessment tasks	10	10
Ìý Ìý Essay preparation	25	25
Ìý	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Total hours by term	93	92	15
Ìý	Ìý	Ìý	Ìý
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	50
Report	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The first summative assessment takes the form of an assessed essay.

• One 3-page report on the in-class UN Security Council negotiation exercise6-page assessed essay formatted in accordance with the rules set out in the Law School Guide (programme assessment) counting for 2050% of the marks. The report will combine 1) a reflective review to be submitted in Week 2 of the Spring Term.

The second summative takes the form of a written report on a practical exercise where students will negotiate and prepare a response to a global security crisis in their seminar groups. Students will be given a scenario to consider in advance of the in-person exercise in Week 10 of the Spring Term. Students will have had several weeks prior discussing contextual case studies that will show how other recent and on-going global security issues are addressed.

• Students will write a report counting for 50% of their marks on the exercise which consists of two parts.
  
  
  
  1. A 3-page reflective report on the in-class practical activity (e.g., the student’s own participation, team dynamics, the approach taken to debating and reflecting on outcomes and their desirability, skills used and how these can be used outside of your degree programme).
  
  
  2. One 6-page assessed essay formatted in accordance with the rules set out in the Law School Guide (programme assessment) counting for 40% of the marks.A 3-page response to the scenario suggesting your own path forward and possible resolutions for how the international community can resolve the crisis.
  
  
  
  

Formative assessment methods:

OneIn preparation for the spring term summative assessments, students will have the opportunity to write a 4-page non-assessed essay formatted in accordance with the rules set out in the Law School Guide (programme assessment). The formative takes place in the Autumn Term to ensure students have feedback that they can feed forward into the summative assessments.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at:
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements:

• Essay to be resubmitted, on a new question


• Report on the practical exercise to be resubmitted, as improved by feedback from first submission.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 10 February 2022