Teacher(s)
Bailleux Antoine; Brachotte Sandrine (compensates Bailleux Antoine);
Language
English
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.
Main themes
The course entails a reflection on contemporary law, or more precisely, a theorisation—understood here as a problematisation—of the methods and foundations of law, with particular emphasis on modern, critical, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
It will address the position of legal theory in relation to the major challenges of the twenty-first century, including the globalisation of societal systems, the development of artificial intelligence, and climate change.
Designed to cultivate both critical analysis and familiarity with the principal schools of thought and core concepts in legal theory, the course builds on prior knowledge acquired in studies of positive law, philosophy, and the humanities.
The course is fully in line with the Faculty of Law's educational project as defined in its Manifesto (R.I.E.J., 2016/1, Vol. 74, pp. 169-175).
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
With regard to the program’s learning outcomes framework, this teaching unit contributes to the development and acquisition of the following skills:
- Mastery of both legal and interdisciplinary knowledge;
- Mastery of scientific methods and tools;
- Development of analytical, reflective, and argumentative skills applied to concrete situations;
- Proficiency in written communication;
- Development of transferable skills, particularly the refinement of personal ethics, both in completing the curriculum and in interactions with others (e.g., personal positioning consistent with one’s values, a sense of the common good, respect for others, etc.).
More specifically, by the end of the course, students will have acquired:
- A general understanding of the major schools of thought in legal theory and the central issues around which their differences crystallize;
- The ability to connect this theoretical foundation to practical, concrete cases drawn from the most contemporary positive law;
- The ability to develop, based on this theory-informed practical experience, a critical reflection on the law, its developments, and its underlying assumptions. |
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Content
The course is structured into three main parts, corresponding to modern, critical, and interdisciplinary approaches to legal theory, with the interdisciplinary section covering the Saint-Louis School.
In each part, the implications of these approaches for the conception of substantive law, legal methodology, and the role of lawyers (and other legal professionals) are examined.
In each part, the implications of these approaches for the conception of substantive law, legal methodology, and the role of lawyers (and other legal professionals) are examined.
Teaching methods
The course will be taught ex cathedra, in a large lecture hall.
As part of the two-week Ecological Transition programme, it will include a 20-minute presentation by a student on their final-year project (TFE) for the 3rd year of the BA programme at the USLB, as part of the legal theory seminar, on a topic combining legal theory. This presentation is intended to illustrate and explore a specific aspect of the course in greater depth and forms an integral part of the examination syllabus.
Each session may involve exercises to test memory and comprehension, as well as the use of schematic teaching aids.
Evaluation methods
Mode d’évaluation :
- course outline, including bibliographical references, excerpts from legal theory literature, and excerpts from case law. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory but allows students to complete the course outline and thus have access to all the material that will be covered in the exam. In particular, some academic papers available in Moodle will be commented on in class.
- parts of the course taught by guest lecturers (1st MA students). Students must therefore attend the relevant classes (see Moodle for the exact schedule) in order to have access to the exam material covered in these external classes,
- examples given by students during class at the requested times (highlighted yellow in the course materials).
Type d’évaluation (et dispositifs éventuels) :
- written exam with multiple-choice questions and possibly open-ended questions.
Langue de l’évaluation : English
Critères d’évaluation :
If there are open-ended questions:
- accuracy and completeness of the content of the answer,
- ability to formulate a structured and clear answer in the form of a coherent text.
Autres précisions :
- students are allowed to bring a French-English dictionary that does not contain any annotations,
- apart from the dictionary, no other documents may be brought into the exam.
- course outline, including bibliographical references, excerpts from legal theory literature, and excerpts from case law. Attendance at lectures is not compulsory but allows students to complete the course outline and thus have access to all the material that will be covered in the exam. In particular, some academic papers available in Moodle will be commented on in class.
- parts of the course taught by guest lecturers (1st MA students). Students must therefore attend the relevant classes (see Moodle for the exact schedule) in order to have access to the exam material covered in these external classes,
- examples given by students during class at the requested times (highlighted yellow in the course materials).
Type d’évaluation (et dispositifs éventuels) :
- written exam with multiple-choice questions and possibly open-ended questions.
Langue de l’évaluation : English
Critères d’évaluation :
If there are open-ended questions:
- accuracy and completeness of the content of the answer,
- ability to formulate a structured and clear answer in the form of a coherent text.
Autres précisions :
- students are allowed to bring a French-English dictionary that does not contain any annotations,
- apart from the dictionary, no other documents may be brought into the exam.
Online resources
Course materials (see below) are available directly on Moodle or via links provided on Moodle.
Bibliography
The bibliographical references are included in the course outline and form part of the exam material.
Teaching materials
- Course outline
- Guest lectures
- Online resources available by clicking on the link provided in the course material
- Academic papers commented during the lecture
Faculty or entity
Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)
Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Bachelor in Law French-Dutch (and French-Dutch-English) [trilingual version - only for re-registration]
Bachelor of Laws (French-Dutch-English / Droit-Rechten-Laws)