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LS2536: INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE LAW (2024-2025)

Last modified: 23 Jul 2024 11:08


Course Overview

This foundational course  introduces students to the basic ideas, themes and insights of comparative law. The first part of the course focuses on the various concepts and methods that legal and other scholars have used to analyse differences and similarities between legal rules across nations and cultures. It also introduces students to various efforts to map and explain legal diversity across the globe (legal families and traditions, including the civil, common, mixed and other traditions). The second half of the course includes a range of case studies to showcase how the comparative method can be used in different areas of the law and across nations and regions. 

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 2
Term Second Term Credit Points 7.5 credits (3.75 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Peter Cserne

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

  • One of Programme Level 2 or Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4 or Programme Level 5
  • Any Undergraduate Programme
  • Either Law (LS) or Legal Studies (Ma Honours) (LX)
  • LS1025 Legal System (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The course will explore a range of topics, ideas and methodological approaches to comparative law. It will introduce students to various classifications of legal systems and their limitations. In the process, students will learn about major legal traditions, including the civilian and the common law traditions. The second half of the course includes a range of specific topics and theoretical tools to illustrate the range and importance of comparative research across legal areas (public and private law) and geographical regions (within and beyond Europe). The critical potential of seeing national laws in contrast with other legal regimes will be explored, illustrating why comparative insights are important even for both legal practitioners and legal scholars whose main work is in one national legal system. The course will also give an opportunity to students to engage in their own comparative research.


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

Class Test - Multiple Choice Questions

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 35
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Duration: 2 hours.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 65
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback Word Count 1000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of failed element

Assessment Type Summative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

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

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