LL4AD Half Unit
Rethinking International Law
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Prof Susan Marks
Availability
This course is available on the LLM (extended part-time), LLM (full-time), MSc in Law and Finance and University of Pennsylvania Law School LLM Visiting Students. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to apply: Priority will be given initially to LLM, MSc Regulation and MSc Law and Finance students on a first-come-first-served allocation.
Spaces permitting, requests from all other students will be processed on the same first-come-first-served allocation from 10am on Thursday 2 October 2025
By submitting an application, students are confirming that they meet any pre-requisites specified. Providing an additional written statement will not aid a student's chances of being accepted onto a course, and statements are not read.
Deadline for application: Not applicable
For queries contact: Law.llm@lse.ac.uk
This course is part of the following LLM specialism: Public International Law.
This course has a limited number of places and we cannot guarantee all students will get a place.
Course content
This course is primarily designed for students who have already had some exposure to public international law.,and wish to deepen their understanding of the role of law in global affairs. Each week, we focus on the relation between international law and a different global issue, such as war, poverty and terrorism, or a different global theme, such as humanity, territory and collective memory. Students are encouraged to uncover and critically examine key concepts, ideas and assumptions informing the international legal order, in the light of course readings that encompass both legal scholarship and relevant writing by scholars from other disciplines (geography, anthropology, philosophy, literary studies, etc.).
Teaching
20 hours of seminars in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
Students are expected to have done the set reading prior to each seminar and be willing to participate take active part in class discussion.
Formative assessment
A formative essay and class exercises (which do not count towards the final assessment) will be set.
Indicative reading
Reading lists will be provided for each seminar on Moodle. Relevant readings are likely to include: David Kennedy, Of War and Law; Sundhya Pahuja, Decolonising International Law: Development, Economic Growth and the Politics of Universality; and Balakrishnan Rajagopal, International Law from Below: Development, Social Movements and Third World Resistance.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 150 Minutes in the Spring exam period
Key facts
Department: LSE Law School
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 6
Average class size 2024/25: 6
Controlled access 2024/25: NoCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
For this course, please see the following link/s:
LL4AD Rethinking International Law Course Guide Video https://youtu.be/mmj6ZBtQbRU
Personal development skills
- Communication
- Specialist skills