LLM Specialisms 2009/10
Public Law
The LSE has been in the vanguard of public law teaching and scholarship throughout the twentieth century. As a result of the pioneering work of world class scholars, the School rapidly established a reputation as one of the leading centres of public law in Britain. Today the public law team at the LSE continues that tradition as Britain takes its place within the EU and reassesses its international role. The Department's aim today is to maintain and bolster this reputation, and the combined strength and depth offered by LSE staff currently working in the field rivals that of any law school in Britain. At Masters level, the primary teaching objectives are to situate public law in a European setting, to examine foundational issues, and to focus especially on the growing importance of regulatory techniques to the realisation of governmental objectives. The School's close proximity to many of the key institutions of government, its regular programmes of visiting speakers on public law issues, and the quality of its staff make it an ideal location for postgraduate study in this field.
Comparative Constitutional Law (LL4F7): builds on knowledge students have acquired from having taken courses such as public law, administrative law, EU law and public international law at undergraduate level. It provides a detailed and sophisticated knowledge, and a critical understanding, of the legal issues surrounding the central issues in comparative constitutional law today. An introductory session will focus on the justifications for and dangers of comparative constitutional law, drawing on material from law and sociology. The section on rights will not only compare rights, but also examine their evolution in the respective cultural context. The section on comparison of courts will compare the interpretive methods and underlying principles that have guided the courts, and explore the reasons for differences between methods and principles. The focus on emergency and anti-terrorist legislation will highlight some key tensions in theory (legality vs. legitimacy) and practice (individual liberty vs. national security). Finally, the debates about the migration of constitutional ideas cover the use of comparative material in courts (see the discussion between Scalia and Breyer), and for the purposes of legislative change, and institutional design.
Constitutional Theory (LL444): an inquiry into the nature, functions and significance of constitutions.
European Administrative Law (LL418): a study of the development of a system of European Community administrative law, focusing on the evolution of regulatory institutions, machinery for the redress of grievances and accountability.
European Union Law and Government (H) (EU420): a theoretically informed study of the central political institutions and legal processes of EU government. Central theories of decision-making and legal theory within EU studies are considered, then applied to analyse the central political and legal relationships within the EU political system.
International and European Environmental Law (LL4D6): study of international and European legal responses to global environmental challenges, including climate changes, biodiversity protection, chemicals control, and international trade.
International Human Rights (LL453): a comprehensive introduction to the rapidly expanding international law of human rights and institutions both at a universal and regional level.
Introduction to Regulation (H) (LL406): key topics in the study of regulation from a comparative and generic perspective with examples drawn from public administration, socio-legal studies and institutional economics.
Jurisprudence and Legal Theory (LL400): mainstream and alternative theoretical approaches to understanding the phenomenon of law, with particular emphasis on the work of important schools and individual theorists.
Law of Human Rights in the United Kingdom (H) (LL468): detailed study of the UK Human Rights Act including the origins and the political background to the Act.
Legal Regulation of Information Technology (LL420): the legal ramifications of computerisation and the Internet, focusing on e-commerce, intellectual property rights, privacy rights, censorship and computer crime, and considering the problems of competing sectional interests, globalisation, enforcement and trans-jurisdictionality.
Media Law: Regulating Publication (H) (LL4H2): the course examines the legal and administrative regulation of mass media publication. The course first considers a number of general themes: the role(s) of the media in society (including conceptions of the ‘public interest’); the main social, technological and regulatory influences that shape media publication practise, and rights jurisprudence (in particular, media freedom in national and international law). It then examines restrictions on publication aimed at protecting specific private interests (eg reputation; privacy) and/or public interests (eg integrity of the legal process; political impartiality; avoidance of offence; national security).
Media Law: Regulating Newsgathering (H) (LL4H3): this course examines the legal and administrative regulation of newsgathering and content production practices undertaken by journalists and others working in the media sector. The course first considers a number of general themes: the role(s) of the media in society (including conceptions of the ‘public interest’); the main social, technological and regulatory influences that shape newsgathering practise, and rights jurisprudence. It then examines the regulation of specific newsgathering practices (eg access to information held by the state; protection of sources; harassment and media intrusion; entrapment; interference with witnesses (‘cheque-book journalism’); media-police interaction; surreptitious newsgathering practices.
Mental Health Law (LL458): the practical and theoretical issues involved in a proper appreciation of the broader conceptual concerns in mental health law, both at general level and in particular contexts such as compulsory treatment. (this course is also available as two half units LL4G7 and LL4K7)
Mental Health Law: The Civil Context (H) (LL4G7): the course will introduce students to the principles underpinning the law relating to people with mental disorder and will consider the rationale and possible justification for this special legal provision. It will concentrate on the law relating to non-offender patients and will examine the relationship between mental health law and the law relating to those who lack capacity.
Mental Health Law: The Criminal Context (H) (LL4K7): the course will introduce students to the principles underpinning the law relating to people with mental disorder who become involved with the criminal justice system as offenders or alleged offenders. It will consider the rationale and possible justifications for special legal provisions for those with mentally disorder in these circumstances.
Policing and Police Powers (LL478): a review and evaluation of the different research strategies into and policy debates about policing and the legal powers and accountability of the police.
Regulation: Legal and Political Aspects (LL446): theories and case studies of regulation encountered in public policy, administration, legal literature, examining the origins, development and reform of regulation; the styles and processes of regulation; the issues surrounding enforcement; the inter-organizational and international aspects of regulation; and questions of evaluation and accountability. [not offered 2009/10]
Terrorism and the Rule of Law (H) (LL475): a theoretical and historical introduction to the concept of terrorism. It will critically consider definitions of terrorism, and analyse the relationship between terrorism and the right to rebel, and the right to engage in civil disobedience. The role of international law generally and international human rights law in particular in the context of terrorism and anti-terrorism action will be considered in detail. [not offered 2009/10]
The Theory, History and Practice of Human Rights Law (H) (LL469): a theoretical and historical introduction to the theory and practice of human rights. It covers the development of the idea of human rights since the 18th century.
