LW3IGS-International Law and Global Security

Module Provider: School of Law
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Semester 1
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Recommended that students have taken LW2FIL
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Alex Gilder
Email: a.f.gilder@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. This module will explore a number of these areas in depth, although the exact areas covered may change slightly each year.  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 a practical assessment on resolving a global security crisis.

Aims:

This module aims to expose students to a range of perspectives within and beyond international law that engage with questions of global security. It will not only provide a descriptive account of various areas of international law, but also ensure that students are able to analyse and to critique the ability of international law and the broader international system to respond to global security 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. Students will develop an understanding of international law’s application to areas of global security in practice. We will examine geographic case studies of contemporary security issues and undertake a practical assessment to immerse students in the 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 in specific case studies.


• Demonstrate an ability to engage withthe processes of the international legal system, in an interactive group exercise on resolving a global security crisis and be able to reflect on this process and link it to substantive knowledge of the role of different actors in the global 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:

• Human security


• International actors and institutions


• Use of force


• International Humanitarian Law


• Nuclear weapons


• Terrorism


• International Criminal Law


• International Environmental Law


• Disaster Risk Management


• International Refugee Law

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

This module is taught by 20 hours of livestreamed lectures and associated activities, four 2-hour in-person seminars, and one 2-hour debate exercise. The number of hours listed is the equivalent to the material or a live class of the 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).

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

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

• One 6-page assessed essay formatted in accordance with the rules set out in the Law School Guide (programme assessment) counting for 50% of the marks 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.  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:

In 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: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
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):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 3 September 2024