LAW-22306 Law and Governance (Sustainable Development Law)

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

Law and Governance offers students a general introduction to law and administrative organization on several levels of government. These levels are (each accompanied by just one example): local (local byelaws), regional (provincial environmental plans), national (environmental laws), (sub-) continental (European Union environmental law) and international on a regional or worldwide scale (international environmental treaties). Knowledge of these laws is an essential prerequisite for understanding the legal background and instruments of interventions by governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve or conserve the environment. At the same time the course offers a general introduction to the several branches of law that are relevant for environmental policies: international law, European Communities law, state law, administrative law, criminal law and civil law.
In some detail the concept of international sustainable development law is studied.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the course, students are able to:
- explain that law can perform quite different roles in different societies;
- demonstrate understanding of the intimate relationship between law and government;
- give a rough sketch of the organization of government in The Netherlands, the European Union and the United Nations;
- demonstrate knowledge of the interactions of law in general and environmental law in particular on different levels of government;
- demonstrate insight into the tensions between law in the books and the reality of law in practice;
- demonstrate insight into the opportunities for non-governmental organizations offered by environmental law.

Activities:

Participate in class lectures, study the obligatory readings, and participate in discussions about the possibilities and impossibilities of environmental law.

Examination:

To be decided.

Literature:

Reader.