United Nations Law
| Module title | United Nations Law |
|---|---|
| Module code | LAW3181 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 35 |
|---|
Module description
Following the Second World War, the United Nations was founded in 1945 to provide a system of collective security which is open to all peace-loving states. With the UN Security Council, a central decision-making body was created with the primary responsibility to maintain and restore international peace and security. In 1988, the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces have been awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize. However, the United Nations face many challenges today. These include, for example, the call for UN Security Council reform, the development of the concept of the Responsibility to Protect and calls for greater accountability of the United Nations. The module United Nations Law will provide you with a thorough understanding of the design, working methods and current challenges faced by the United Nations. By studying the United Nations, you will also gain a deeper understanding of the law of international organisations more generally.
Prior exposure to public international law is not required.
The combination of theoretical approaches with a discussion of recent developments relating to the United Nations and their practical implications will be of particular interest to you if you intend to work for an international organisation, if you are interested in a career in public international law or if you are interested in the United Nations as an international actor more generally.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aim of the module is to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the Law of the United Nations. You will be introduced to the main functions, tasks and working methods of the United Nations. Particular emphasis will be put on the United Nations as a system of collective security in a globalised world and how the United Nations works with its Member States as well as with other international organisation as partners in maintaining and securing international peace and security. As part of this module, we will criticially discuss the success of the United Nations in its contribution to international peace but we will also discuss challenges and potential failures of the existing model. Throughout this module, we will examine how the United Nations is addressed by international law as an international organisation but also how the United Nations in turn shapes the international legal system. We will also identify the UN’s special role within the international community.
The module United Nations Law will be taught in a law in context approach and will be research-led and research-based, introducing you to the process of conducting research at undergraduate level in order to develop your own research skills as vital transferable skills.The research-inspired approach will also be reflected in the seminar tasks as well as in the assessment design. As a formative assessment, you will have the opportunity to prepare a research paper proposal on an assigned essay topic. You will also get the possibility to obtain further feedback on your work following a poster presentation as one of your seminar tasks. The summative assessment will consist of an essay, providing you with the opportunity to reflect on the previous feedback obtained.
Students who complete the module will have acquired a solid understanding of the role and functions of the United Nations and its law; the United Nation’s relationship with other international actors as partners of the United Nations in crisis management as well as of the relationship between the UN and its Member States.
The combination of theoretical approaches with a discussion of recent developments relating to the United Nations and their practical implications will be of particular interest to you if you intend to work for an international organisation, if you are interested in a career in public international law or if you are interested in the United Nations as an international actor more generally.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate detailed knowledge of the legal framework regulating the role and functions of the United Nations as an international organisation in general;
- 2. demonstrate critical understanding of the legal and political relationships between the UN and regional organisations;
- 3. demonstrate critical understanding of the legal relationship and political relationship between the United Nations and its Member States;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of legal concepts, values, principles, organs and procedures, and explain the relationships among them in the area of United Nations Law;
- 5. select and explain relevant information from primary and secondary legal sources using appropriate methods for investigating and evaluating them as well as appropriate interpretative techniques;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. manage relevant learning resources/ information/learning strategies and develop your own arguments and opinions with some guidance;
- 7. communicate effectively and accurately, orally and in writing, in a manner appropriate to the discipline/different contexts;
- 8. identify, retrieve and use efficiently a range of library-based and electronic resources with some guidance;
- 9. work independently and manage time efficiently in preparing for scheduled learning activities, exercises and assessments.
Syllabus plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
- The UN as a system of collective security and the changing nature of security-threat relations in a globalised world
- The institutional framework of the United Nations with a particular emphasis on the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly
- The nature of the UN: conference, contract or constitution of the international community?
- Powers of the UN
- Peaceful methods of dispute resolution and conflict prevention
- The use of economic sanctions
- The use of military force: peace enforcement and peace-keeping
- The Responsibility to Protect
- Regional organisations as partners to the UN in the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security, with a particular emphasis on the African Union and the European Union
- Membership and financing
- Law-making
- Accountability of the United Nations
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 122 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 22 | 11 x 2 hour Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 6 | 3 x 2 hour seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 55 | Individual reading and lecture preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 15 | Seminar Preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 12 | Formative Assessment Preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 40 | Summative Assessment Preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1,000 words | 1-9 | Written and oral feedback from tutor |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 100 | 4000 words | 1-9 | Written and oral feedback |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (4000 words) | 1-9 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Nigel D White and Nicholas Tsagourias, Collective Security: Theory, Law and Practice (Cambridge University Press, latest edition)
Nigel D White, The Law of International Organisations (Manchester University Press, latest edition)
Jan Klabbers, An Introduction to International Institutional Law (Cambridge University Press, latest edition
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
United Nations http://www.un.org/en/index.html
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
Reparation for Injuries Suffered in the Service of the United Nations, Advisory Opinion, ICJ Reports 1949, p 174
Certain Expenses of the United Nations (Art 17, para 2, of the Charter), Advisory Opinion, ICJ Reports 1962, p 151
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 20/12/18 |
| Last revision date | 20/12/18 |
