For those in the business of governing, understanding the institutions, methods and substance of the law is crucial. Policymakers must understand the law, both as a potential instrument of societal change and as an important constraint to the process of regulation and decision making. This course will explore the relationship between law and governance, providing participants with an introduction to legal decision making and the role of law and courts in the political system. It will also aim to develop core legal skills such as legal argumentation and interpretation. A particular priority will be to explore the ‘multi-level’ nature of modern law. The growth of international and regional organisations and regimes has increasingly made disputes and rules that were once ‘local’ the subject of international constraints and norms. At the same time, transnational legal orders may have a quite different character from their national counterparts. The course will therefore draw on examples from both the EU and international legal orders.
This course is for 1st year MPP and MDS students only.
Instructors
- Mark Dawson , Professor of European Law and Governance
- Pierre Thielbörger , Adjunct
