Seminar of theory of law

bhddr1330  2023-2024  Bruxelles Saint-Louis

Seminar of theory of law
4.00 credits
15.0 h
Q2

  This learning unit is not open to incoming exchange students!

Teacher(s)
Bernard Diane (compensates Klimis Sophie); Klimis Sophie;
Language
French
Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.
Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

As a crossroads course, this seminar aims to promote the interdisciplinarity that characterises the bachelor programme and to develop your ability to theorise legal phenomena.
By the end of the seminar, you should have
  • opened your mind to fundamental questions and critical reflection on the law
  • developed your ability to understand legal theory writings, synthesise them and critique legal doctrine in a group discussion;
  • critically examined a theoretical issue of your choice, through personal research (including with regard to productions by artificial intelligence)
  • written an analysis based on legal sources and other disciplines, hence from an interdisciplinary perspective, in an academic style and in accordance with the requirements of scientific probity.
 
Content
Considered a 'treasure' of our Faculty, this Seminar invites you to carry out personal research, building on the theoretical framework established in the Introduction à la pensée juridique contemporaine (ICPJC) course.
The seminar is divided into two parts, over the course of the year, consisting of the successive reading of theoretical texts and the writing of an essay.
Teaching methods
1. The seminar is based primarily on a group dynamic: in class, we will read and discuss texts on various general subjects of legal theory - always using a conceptual, critical and interdisciplinary approach.
In the first term, after an introductory session, we will devote 4 sessions to discussing one or more texts to be read in advance. The texts will be made available to you on moodle, together with their summary by an artificial intelligence, which you are also asked to read as it will be analysed in class.
2. You will also be guided in writing a personal research paper in which you will examine the legal relevance of a proverb, saying or other piece of "folk wisdom". The aim is for you to exercise your personal reflection at a meta-level in relation to positive law, in particular by linking a non-legal register to the law.
There will be no pre-correction of texts, but you will be invited to refine and test your hypotheses with your fellow students and your professor during three sessions at the beginning of the second term. You are strongly advised to prepare a text (outline, chapter, summary, etc.) before taking part in these discussions.
Your essay should be 7500 words long (including footnotes, excluding annexes).
As a preface to your essay, it is required to attach ChatGPT's response to your research question, along with a concise 500-word record of how you engaged with it. You can expound on how you distanced yourself in your essay or accepting the proposals generated by the AI, indicating what you established or areas of incompleteness, discussing thoughts and shortcomings in sources, and specifying questions posed before obtaining an interesting response. It is highly recommended to uphold a similar approach as used in your essay.
You are strongly advised to carry out this exercise before taking part in the second term sessions and even to formulate your question with your teacher; if you ask her in February, she will be able to provide you with a paid version of this chatbot.
The deadline for the first session will be agreed with students at the introductory session at the beginning of the academic year.
For the second session, it will be Thursday 15 August 2024 at 23:59.
The submission deadline on Moodle is final.
There is no need for submission via email or in hard copy
Evaluation methods
The evaluation of your essay will focus on the structure of your reasoning, the formulation of your question and its relevance, the interdisciplinary nature of your sources and arguments, your general understanding of the question and the literature, the quality of your research, the singularity of your reasoning, your written expression and your methodology.
Three out of 20 marks will be allocated based on your critical review of the answer given by ChatGPT (refer above).
You could also receive a more marginal mark based on your participation in the reading sessions in the first term and the personal essay discussions in the second term.
Faculty or entity


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Bachelor in Law (shift schedule)