Universität Wien

030579 KU Advocacy in International Law (2019W)

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 3 - Rechtswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work

Attendance at the preliminary meeting on 12 October 2019 mandatory.
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 40 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

In an effort to permit both undergraduate and graduate, working and full-time, as well as domestic and visiting students to participate, without conflicting with other classes or exams, this course will be held across five blocked units, taking place on Saturdays.

The course schedule, topics for each session and administrative details will be discussed during our preliminary meeting on 12 October (attendance mandatory).

  • Saturday 12.10. 12:00 - 13:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG (Kickoff Class)
  • Saturday 19.10. 12:00 - 15:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 19.10. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 09.11. 12:00 - 15:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 09.11. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 07.12. 12:00 - 15:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 07.12. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 11.01. 12:00 - 15:00 Seminarraum SEM33 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 11.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum SEM33 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 18.01. 12:00 - 15:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG
  • Saturday 18.01. 16:00 - 18:00 Seminarraum SEM31 Schottenbastei 10-16, Juridicum, 3.OG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course is designed to furnish students with a basic understanding of past territorial disputes and an introduction to primarily oral advocacy skills, while allowing them to apply the knowledge gained to current, unresolved disputes.

A. Aims
Upon completion of this course, students will have acquired:

(1) A basic understanding of certain rules of public international law relevant to territorial disputes
(2) Knowledge of individual judicial decisions concerning past territorial disputes
(3) The ability to identify legal issues of and apply rules learned to current, unresolved territorial disputes and
(4) Written and oral advocacy skills

B. Contents
The course is divided into five units with a duration of five hours each, excluding a one hour break. Units will be devoted to the following topics:

(1) Introduction
-Basic features and rules of public international law
-Past judicial decisions concerning territorial disputes
-Fundamental legal issues and rules relevant to territorial disputes
-Selection of unresolved territorial disputes to be considered throughout the course

(2) Test, Topics, Advocacy
-Limited test on the content of the first unit
-Distribution of chosen disputes to groups of five
-Explanation of formalities of the written outline
-Introduction to advocacy skills

(3) Outlines, Roles, Oral Advocacy
-Submission of written outlines
-Role allocation within groups (illustration of dispute, applicant and respondent)
-Introduction to oral advocacy skills

(4) First Round of Oral Arguments
-First half of groups present dispute, applicant and respondent arguments
-Brief feedback session

(5) Second Round of Oral Arguments
-Second half of groups present dispute, applicant and respondent arguments
-Brief feedback session

C. Methods
Seeking to convey both substantive knowledge and practical skills, the course will combine blended e-learning methods with frontal and interactive lectures, group research and drafting as well as individual oral argument exercises.

Assessment and permitted materials

The final grade will be based upon the following three components:

(1) A test of limited scope taken in the second unit (20%)
(2) A written outline (group project) submitted in the third unit (30%) and
(3) An oral presentation in one of the two final units (50%)

Attendance is mandatory and class participation encouraged.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students do not require any particular legal skills or knowledge to participate in the course. While students will not be graded for their linguistic abilities, a command of the English language sufficient to provide written and oral contributions is necessary.

A basic understanding of public international law is an asset, but not required.

Examination topics

1. Written test (20% of the final grade)
A brief test will be conducted in the second unit, devoted to the fundamental principles of public international law and basics of territorial disputes discussed in the first unit.

2. Written outline (group project) (30% of the final grade)
Participants will be grouped and choose a current and unresolved territorial dispute as the focus of their work in the second unit. Each group will submit a brief written outline detailing an agreed fact pattern and four core legal questions of their chosen dispute in the third unit.

3. Oral presentation (50% of the final grade)
In the two final units, members of each group will present oral arguments on both sides of their chosen dispute.

Reading list

Participants will be furnished with a list of limited required and more comprehensive suggested readings via the Moodle e-learning platform.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Sa 03.09.2022 00:13