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LS504E: LAW AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (2023-2024)

Last modified: 05 Oct 2023 08:46


Course Overview

The course examines the complex and dynamic relationship between law and development and traces the impact of international development discourse on lower- and middle-income countries’ legal systems. The course focuses on domestic law reforms aiming to promote sustainable development and achieve the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Agenda. It focuses on the role of law in promoting SDG 16 on peace, justice, and inclusive institutions, SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, and SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Session First Sub Session Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Francesca Farrington

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

  • One of Master of Laws (General Law) or Llm In Business Law And Sustainable Development (September Start) or Llm International Trade Law & Treaty Negotiation W/ Prof Skills (Sept) or Master Of Laws In International Trade Law (September Start)

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

Legal reforms have been used to stimulate economic growth, alleviate poverty and tackle rising inequality across the world. International development bodies such as the UNDP, World Bank, IMF and OECD have engaged the law to promote economic, human and sustainable development in lower- and middle-income countries. Although common legal concepts such as the rule of law, labour rights, and trade regulation are consistently found in the development toolbox, there is still relatively little known about the relationship between law and development.

This course aims to introduce students to the concepts of economic, human, and sustainable development before exploring how particular legal reforms have been used to pursue particular development goals in a domestic context.

This course first considers issues relating to development, including:

  • What is development? There are varying conceptions of development, ranging from human development, economic development, and sustainable development. How we conceptualise “development” changes how we envisage the connection between law and development.
  • Is there a right to development? If there is a right to development, what does that right entail? The right to development - a “third generation” right - has been considered a “synthesis” of all other rights. Can this right find a meaning and concrete application, or is it bound to remain aspirational?

In examining these issues, students will also confront the colonial origins and legacy of law and development.

Building on this foundation, the course also considers how particular legal reforms are related to development outcomes, including:

  • UN SDG 16, the rule of law and good governance
  • UN SDG 8, labour rights and inclusive development; and
  • UN SDG 12 and sustainable and equitable trade.

The course also explores some of the barriers to legal reform, including:

  • path dependence (i.e., the impact of initial conditions on a legal system’s development path);
  • legal origin (i.e., how the origin of a legal system impacts development outcomes in the long run);
  • co-evolution (i.e., the relationship between society, economy and law); and
  • institutional complementarities (i.e., the interdependencies between legal concepts, social norms, and historical and cultural factors).

Throughout the course, students will use case studies to explore the practical impact of law on development outcomes.


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 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

The feedback will be provided in written form and in accordance with the Common Grading Scale. The feedback will be provided within three weeks as of submission, in accordance with the School’s and University’s policies.

Word Count 3000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseTo critically analyse the use of legal concepts to promote particular development outcomes
ConceptualUnderstandTo gain knowledge and understanding of the foundations of international development and the changing role of law in promoting economic, human and sustainable development
ProceduralApplyTo apply the knowledge and concepts acquired to analyse the successes and failures of particular case studies on legal reforms aimed at promoting economic, human or sustainable development
ReflectionCreateTo communicate complex and contentious ideas effectively both in oral and written form, and to be an active listener and inclusive discussant
ReflectionEvaluateTo evaluate the effectiveness of using legal reforms to promote particular development outcomes, and the broader impact of legal development on society

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

The feedback will be provided in written form and in accordance with the Common Grading Scale. The feedback will be provided within three weeks as of submission, in accordance with the School’s and University’s policies.

Word Count 3000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualAnalyseTo critically analyse the use of legal concepts to promote particular development outcomes
ConceptualUnderstandTo gain knowledge and understanding of the foundations of international development and the changing role of law in promoting economic, human and sustainable development
ReflectionCreateTo communicate complex and contentious ideas effectively both in oral and written form, and to be an active listener and inclusive discussant
ReflectionEvaluateTo evaluate the effectiveness of using legal reforms to promote particular development outcomes, and the broader impact of legal development on society

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Essay(s)

Assessment Type Summative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

If the student has failed one component (i.e. one of the two 3,000 word essays), they resubmit that component.

If a student has failed both components, they submit a single 5,000-word essay as their resit assessment.

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
ConceptualUnderstandTo gain knowledge and understanding of the foundations of international development and the changing role of law in promoting economic, human and sustainable development
ConceptualAnalyseTo critically analyse the use of legal concepts to promote particular development outcomes
ReflectionEvaluateTo evaluate the effectiveness of using legal reforms to promote particular development outcomes, and the broader impact of legal development on society
ProceduralApplyTo apply the knowledge and concepts acquired to analyse the successes and failures of particular case studies on legal reforms aimed at promoting economic, human or sustainable development
ReflectionCreateTo communicate complex and contentious ideas effectively both in oral and written form, and to be an active listener and inclusive discussant

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