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International Law: Uncensored History (LAWS90128)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability(Quotas apply)
June
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This subject examines the histories of international law. It will investigate, firstly, the reason for the turn to understanding the history of international law, and, secondly, the methodological approaches available for such a project (eg interdisciplinary insights; feminist critiques of international legal study; the sense of a ‘visual culture’ of international law and legal practice). The notion of ‘censorship’ will feature prominently in the subject, either in its pure form (eg Woodrow Wilson’s "open treaties" idea) or by virtue of its indirect meaning and impact (eg how technical expertise and the notion of "crisis" have obscured the role of history in international law).

Principal topics include:

  • An assessment of historical method in international law and its significance
  • The approaches to history taken by international lawyers and the impact of forms of censorship on them
  • The development of the concept of freedom of the oceans in international law and its connections to imperial trade and commerce
  • The function of religion in the history of international law; for example, the role of the papacy
  • International legal responses to slavery and the slave trade; for example, in the United States Supreme Court
  • The history of the League of Nations
  • Depictions of international legal rights, such as the right to self-determination
  • The rise of interdisciplinary approaches to international law, from history and literature to anthropology and psychology
  • The gendered nature of histories of international law.

Intended learning outcomes

A student who has successfully completed this subject will have:

  • An advanced understanding of the construction of histories of international law, and the significance of imperialism in the design and operation of the law and its institutions
  • An ability to identify and analyse forms of censorship in historical thinking in international law
  • A sophisticated capacity to analyse the central role of the sovereign state in international legal discourse
  • The knowledge and skills to identify, assess and deploy critical analysis in international law
  • An advanced capacity to identify the value and limitations of using history to deal with current international legal problems
  • The knowledge and analytic skills to account for evolutions in the concept of universality in international law
  • An appreciation of the ways that race and gender have shaped international legal thinking
  • A capacity to reflect on the value of interdisciplinary approaches to international law
  • The cognitive and technical skills to examine, research and analyse the role of history in current international legal debates.

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Recommended background knowledge

Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Assessment

Additional details

  • Class participation (10%)
  • Take-home examination (5,000 - 6,000 words) (90%) (20-23 July)
    or
  • Research paper (7,500 - 9,000 words) (90%) (15 August) on topic approved by the subject coordinator

A minimum of 75% attendance is a hurdle requirement.

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Quotas apply to this subject

Dates & times

  • June
    Principal coordinatorHilary Charlesworth
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours24-34 hours
    Total time commitment150 hours
    Pre teaching start date 7 May 2018
    Pre teaching requirementsThe pre-teaching period commences four weeks before the subject commencement date. From this time, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences.
    Teaching period 4 June 2018 to 8 June 2018
    Last self-enrol date11 May 2018
    Census date 4 June 2018
    Last date to withdraw without fail13 July 2018
    Assessment period ends15 August 2018

    June contact information

    Lecturers

    Professor Hilary Charlesworth
    Professor Dino Kritsiotis

    Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
    Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
    Website: law.unimelb.edu.au

Additional delivery details

This subject has a quota of 30 students.

Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.

Students should note priority of places in subjects will be given as follows:

  • To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
  • To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.

Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Further information

  • Texts

    Prescribed texts

    Specialist printed materials will be made available free of charge from the Melbourne Law School prior to the pre-teaching period.

  • Links to additional information

    law.unimelb.edu.au

  • Available through the Community Access Program

    About the Community Access Program (CAP)

    This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.

    Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.

Last updated: 3 November 2022