Unit information: International Law of Trade and Aid in 2012/13

Unit name	International Law of Trade and Aid
Unit code	LAWDM0053
Credit points	30
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Professor. Novitz
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	undergraduate International Law
Co-requisites	LAWDM0026 (for students that haven't taken undergraduate International Law)
School/department	University of Bristol Law School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will examine in detail the law and policy relating to international trade and development within the context of international law. It will cover the relevant law and policies of various international and regional institutions including the UN, World Bank, IMF, WTO and GATT, and their approach to development and aid to 'developing countries'. These issues will also be analysed in the context of a number of case studies.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will become familiar with the workings of key international organisations in the field of trade regulation and development aid. They will become aware of the international legal materials generated by these organisations as well as the programmes that they operate. This will involve direct reference to the websites of the organisations in question. Students will also review the ways in which decisions are made by such organisations and the capacity for review of such decisions. Students will also refer to theoretical studies and secondary materials which seek to evaluate these processes, allowing them to develop their own evaluative frameworks relating to the operation of these systems. They will be able to demonstrate their acquired knowledge and critical skills by answering essay-style questions in the end of year examination.

Teaching Information

Eleven compulsory two hour seminars (22) hours and voluntary attendance at lectures (maximum of 20 hours)

Assessment Information

One 3,000 word essay (worth 33%) which will give students the option to research a particular area of international law in depth, which relates to trade and/or aid, the writing of which should display their ability to engage in a critical and evaluative fashion with the legal materials and policy documents studied, as well as secondary literature. One 3 hour written examination (worth 67%) which will give students the ability to display the range of knowledge on the key issues arising in the field of international law of trade and aid. Students will be assessed not only on the basis of their knowledge of the legal materials, but also their ability to place legal developments in an economic, social and political context and evaluate their probable effects with reference to secondary literature.

Reading and References

The most recent editions of:

• A. F. Lowenfeld, International Economic Law (Oxford University Press)

• P. van den Bossche, The Law and Policy of the World Trade Organization: Text, Cases and Materials, (Cambridge University Press)

• M. Matsushita et al, The World Trade Organization (Oxford University Press).

• D. Bethlehem et al, The Oxford Handbook of International Trade Law (OUP)