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Law and Global Health Security (LAWS90215)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Not available in 2024
Overview
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The importance of health to the functioning of societies, and to our globalized world, has never been more apparent than it is today. The global and national crises that COVID-19 has generated have underscored why health has, over the last two decades, increasingly been framed as a matter of national and international security. This subject will trace this ‘securitisation of health’ and explore its implications for global health and global health law and governance.
The subject will interrogate the following matters: the extent to which understanding health through a ‘security’ lens might either promote or undermine good health practices and outcomes, and international health cooperation; the key international legal frameworks for health security, and proposals to strengthen these frameworks in light of the COVID-19 experience; tensions reflected in the differing approaches of states to their national borders during public health emergencies; and the key actors in global health security, both globally and domestically, and across sectors and disciplines, e.g. public health, law enforcement, military. This subject will explore these aspects of health security primarily through consideration of infectious diseases, while also touching on challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance, climate change and bioterrorism.
The subject will be highly topical, exploring the most recent developments in global responses to COVID-19 and to preparedness for future pandemics, including proposals to develop a new pandemic treaty and to amend the International Health Regulations.
Principal topics will include:
- The evolution of the concept of health security
- Infectious diseases and health security – HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19
- International legal frameworks for health security
- The roles of key global actors particularly the World Health Organization, and other international bodies including the UN Security Council
- Adoption of border restrictions by states to prevent and control the international spread of disease
- Collaboration and tensions across disciplines and sectors (e.g. public health, law enforcement, military)
- Tensions between health and ‘law and order’ approaches to health crises
- Implications of health and ‘law and order’ approaches for human rights, including the right to health and other economic, social and cultural rights, and civil and political rights
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have an advanced and integrated understanding of - the concept of health security, and of its application to infectious diseases - the major international legal frameworks for the control of infectious diseases, and proposals to strengthen these frameworks - the role of key global health security actors, particularly the World Health Organization, and other international bodies, including the United Nations Security Council– the tensions reflected in the differing approaches of states to their national borders during international public health emergencies
- Be able to critically analyse and reflect on the implications of the securitisation of health for health practices and outcomes
- Have a nuanced understanding of the tensions between health and law and order approaches to health crises, and the challenges of responding to health crises across disciplines and sectors, e.g. public health, law enforcement, military
- Have a nuanced awareness and understanding of the harmonies and tensions between achieving international health cooperation and protecting national security
Generic skills
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Have undertaken advanced legal research and analysed, reflected and synthesised knowledge, information, and concepts and theories to produce a substantial and expert written work on an issue in law
- Have been required to demonstrate the autonomy, judgment, responsibility and accountability expected of an advanced learner of law
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Admission into a relevant Melbourne Law Masters program
AND
A sound understanding of public health, global health, or international law.
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Research paper on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
| 16 November 2022 | 90% |
Hurdle requirement: Hurdle requirement: A minimum of 75% attendance. Note: the attendance hurdle does not apply when the subject is delivered online. | N/A |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
Not available in 2024
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a 'first in' basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of waitlisted 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.
Melbourne Law School may reserve places in a subject for incoming international cohorts or where a subject is core to a specialisation with limited alternate options.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist materials will be made available via the LMS in the pre-teaching period.
- Links to additional information
- 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.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-masters@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024