production
Skip to Content

SP30SC: RULE OF LAW IN LATIN AMERICA A (2020-2021)

Last modified: 05 Aug 2021 13:04


Course Overview

Latin America is often described as a lawless land, where anything goes. Yet we will see in this course that law has been crucial to Latin America’s past and present. The problem is that the rich and powerful can put themselves above it, which means that law often ends up serving to keep the poor in their place. “Rule of law” means that the law should apply to everyone, including the powerful, and in recent years there have been calls for rule of law in Latin America. Can Latin Americans now hope for an end to impunity and injustice?

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators

Sorry, we don't have a record of any course coordinators.

Qualification Prerequisites

  • Programme Level 3

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either Spanish And Latin American Studies (SP) (Studied) or MA European Studies (Studied)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Latin America is often described as a lawless land, where anything goes. Yet we will see in this course that law has been crucial to Latin America’s past and present. The problem is that the rich and powerful can put themselves above it, which means that law often ends up serving to keep the poor in their place. The poor, meanwhile, look for their own ways to defend themselves from law, for example by seeking out powerful patrons who, in return for cash and loyalty, will offer them some protection. “Rule of law” means that the law should apply to everyone, including the powerful, and in recent years there has been a chorus of voices calling for rule of law in Latin America. In this course we will ask whether we can hope for rule of law in Latin America, and if so, whether it makes for a more just society.


Contact Teaching Time

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

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1x short essay (25%)

1x research project (65%)

1x individual oral presentation (10%)

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

Compatibility Mode

We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.