LW205-6-AU-CO:
Comparative Law

The details
2024/25
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
15
27 March 2024

 

Requisites for this module
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Key module for

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Module description

Do you wonder why your legal studies focus on England & Wales, but not on Scotland? Are you curious about the meaning(s) behind the expression ‘common law countries’ and/or ‘civil law countries’? Do you want to understand better how the English legal system compares with other legal systems, such as those in the US, India, France, South Africa, Malaysia, Brazil, or in the Middle-East? Decide how you would answer these questions by studying the field of comparative law.


This module will introduce you to the main concepts and debates surrounding the analysis of different legal systems, It will also give you an overview of the methodologies that comparative law research involves. As importantly, you will discover how methodologies and concepts can be traced back to the colonial roots of comparative law and how academics specialists in the field have tried over the last twenty years to reinvent the discipline and move away from a specific vision of law and comparative law.

Module aims

The aim of this module is:



  • To provide a sound conceptual grasp and knowledge of the theoretical and methodological aspects of comparative law, a thriving intellectual discipline, set between practice and legal theory.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate a strong knowledge of fundamental aspects of comparative law

  2. Critically analyse multiple legal systems/families/cultures / and traditions

  3. Critically evaluate and debate the conceptual foundations of comparative law

  4. Understand and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of comparative methods

  5. Select the appropriate method(s) for comparing legal questions

Module information

This module will analyse areas such as: 



  • The main concepts and debates surrounding the analysis of different legal systems (legal families, legal cultures or traditions)

  • The methodologies for comparative law research (functionalism; its criticisms)

  • Comparison between legal systems and where they contrast

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via: 

  • One 2-hour seminar per week

Students are expected to undertake the reading before classes and be prepared to engage in discussion. Each seminar will introduce the conceptual materials needed to then discuss the key themes through the analysis of two to three relevant texts. Your knowledge and centres of interests will be integral to the discussions.

Bibliography*

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Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff

 

Availability
Yes
No
No

External examiner

No external examiner information available for this module.
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information
Essex Law School

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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