Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE INL2004

 
TITLE International and Public Law for International Relations

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 6

 
DEPARTMENT International Law

 
DESCRIPTION The study-unit commences with an introduction to international law. It focuses on the nature of international law, the relationship between international law and international relations, and the ways in which these disciplines contribute to an understanding of each other. The study-unit covers foundational principles of the international law, including sources of international law, international legal personality and subjects of international law and principles of jurisdiction. It then examines how these general principles are applied to selected branches of international law such as the law of the sea and international environmental law.

Another aspect of the study-unit will be an introduction to public law with a focus on the role of administrative and constitutional law within national law and how it may affect State's international obligations. This part of the study unit will focus first on understanding the role of a constitution, the rule of law, principle of constitutional and/or parliamentary sovereignty and supremacy, the role and functions of authorities, exercise of discretion and the boundaries within which discretion is exercised. It will then examine the role of human rights protection and in this respect it will consider how a State's international human rights obligations are given effect within the national framework.

Study-Unit Aims:

The study-unit is designed to give students an overview and understanding of major topics in international law and elaborate on their significance for studying international relations. The aim of the sessions covering international law is to familiarize students with the general principles of the subject. It will equip students with the requisite knowledge to then apply these principles to selected branches of international law.

The study-unit focus on public law is designed to provide students with an overview and understanding of topics which will bear an effect on international relations. The aim is to familiarise students with the general principles of the subject so as to provide an understanding of how aspects of public law affect State obligations in international law and vice versa.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Evaluate the general principles of international law.
- Appraise the relationship between international law and international relations.
- Assess the dynamics of the rules regulating different subjects of international law.
- Examine the application of jurisdictional principles in international law.
- Evaluate the general principles of public law.
- Appraise the relationship between international law, international relations and public law.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:

- Develop insights into the workings of the international system and the role of international law and international relations in this context.
- Demonstrate the capacity to evaluate principles of international law and their importance for global order.
- Be conversant with the contemporary legal issues relating to the law of the sea and international environmental law.
- Demonstrate the capacity to evaluate principles of public law and their relation with international law.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- James Crawford (ed), Brownlie’s Principles of Public International Law (8th edn, Oxford University Press 2019).
- Malcolm N. Shaw, International Law (8th edn, Cambridge University Press 2018).
- Yoshifumi Tanaka, The International Law of the Sea (2nd edn, Cambridge University Press 2015).
-Patricia W. Birnie, Alan E Boyle and Catherine Redgewell, International Law and the Environment (3rd edn, Oxford University Press 2009).
- C.F. Forsyth and William Wade, Administrative Law, (11th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2014).
- Ian Loveland, Constitutional law, administrative law and human rights: a critical introduction. (3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 2003).
- Christopher May and Adam Winchester, Handbook on the rule of law, (Edward Elgar Publisher, 2018).

Supplementary Readings:

- Martin Dixon, Robert McCorquodale, and Sarah Williams, Cases & Materials on International Law (6th Edition, OUP 2016).
- Christopher May, The rule of law: the common sense of global politics (Edward Elgar Publisher, 2014).

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM1 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Felicity Attard
Therese Comodini Cachia
Omar Grech
Antoine Grima
Patricia Vella de Fremeaux

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit