Module LAW3146 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
LAW3146: International Law, Conflict and Strategy
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
The module draws on the research interests and expertise of the Law School and the Strategy and Security Institute to provide you with a unique insight into the interaction between international law and strategy. It allows you to study some of the most pressing contemporary legal and security dilemmas and thereby gain a detailed understanding of the rules of international conflict and security law and their application in practice.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. demonstrate a critical understanding of the key features of the international legal order and detailed knowledge of selected aspects of international conflict and security law; 2. demonstrate a critical understanding of the role that law plays in the international security environment and how strategic considerations shape the development and application of international law. |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. demonstrate a critical understanding of the role of law and legal argument as a constraining and enabling factor for political decision-making; 4. apply legal knowledge to complex problems and apply judgement when presented with competing policy imperatives; 5. select and process relevant information from a broad range of diverse primary and secondary materials. |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. prepare analytically compelling work with limited guidance that employs appropriate interpretative techniques and presents a nuanced line of argument; 7. engage in debate effectively and develop complex arguments and opinions with limited guidance; 8. demonstrate the ability to work independently, within a limited time frame, to complete a specified task. |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1,500 words | 1-7 | Individual written feedback |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 75 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 25 | 2,000 words | 1-10 | Individual written feedback, with supplementary oral feedback available |
| Examination | 75 | 2 hours and 15 minutes | 1-10 | Individual written feedback, with supplementary oral feedback available. |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay (2,000 words) | 1-7 | August/September re-assessment |
| Examination | Examination (2 hours and 15 minutes) | 1-8 | August/September re-assessment |
Re-assessment notes
None
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Basic reading:
D. Patrikarakos, War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century (2017)
C. Ford and W. Williams (eds), Complex Battlespaces: The Law of Armed Conflict and the Dynamics of Modern Warfare (2019)
N. White and C. Henderson (eds), Research Handbook on International Conflict and Security Law (2013)
T. Farrell, Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan, 2001–2014 (2017)
D. Kilcullen, Out of the Mountains: The Coming Age of the Urban Guerrilla (2015)
V. Lowe, International Law (2007)
D. Armstrong, T. Farrell, H. Lambert, International Law and International Relations (2012)
