LS401H: ABORTION LAW HONOURS (2020-2021)

Course content

This course does not explore the morality or desirability of legal abortion, and is entirely non-partisan in this regard. The course examines abortion law, a specialism that draws especially public law, international public law, criminal law, medical law, jurisprudence, human rights, ethics, and religion and law. The course will examine abortion law in Scotland, the wider UK and other constituent nations, Europe, countries beyond Europe, and in international law (e.g. ECHR, the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women). Topics will be chosen annually to reflect current legal debates but might include: concepts of ‘rights’ with respect to abortion; roles of fathers; factors which affect access to legal abortion; regulation of the medical profession; or case-studies on legal systems where abortion law has become contentious or subject to change.

Course teaching and assessment

The course will have an introductory one-hour seminar, and six two-hour seminars. Assessment is by two essays (both 50%), with the feedback on the first essay returned in good time before the second. The course has no classes in the week of or the week before students’ essays are due to allow good time to prepare.

Course aims

1. To introduce students to a highly volatile and emotive area of law internationally, and allow them to come to an informed view on a range of relevant legal questions;
2. To give students the opportunity to explore a single legal topic in the Scottish, wider UK, European and global contexts and understand the interconnectedness of these (e.g. the operation of international law in the national context, the rhetorical power of one nation’s legal reforms in the international context);
3. To allow students to explore the interconnectedness of legal sub-disciplines (especially public law, international public law, criminal law, medical law, jurisprudence, human rights, ethics, religion and law) and the impact of that interconnectedness on a narrow area of law;
4. Build students’ transferable and legal skills as well as their sense of responsible citizenship and other graduate attributes.

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

More Information about Week Numbers

2x 2500 word essays (50% each)

Resit: resubmission of coursework

Alternative Resit Arrangements

Resit failed element in same format

There are no assessments for this course.