Law and Political Economy LAW4190

  • Academic Session: 2023-24
  • School: School of Law
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes

Short Description

In this course we study some of the main doctrines and concepts of the political economy (e.g., Smith, Keynes, Hayek, Polanyi) and we then focus on a case study (usually, monetary laws or food laws) to analyse the role of law and legal regulation in relation to the political economy

Timetable

There will be 10 x 2-hour seminars spread throughout semester 1.

Requirements of Entry

This course is only available to LLB students.

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

An essay of 4000 words containing one question over one or more seminars covered in the course

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

To introduce students to key concepts, practices and contemporary debates in law and political economy, and to engage them in close reading and discussion of important authors and texts; To assist students to appreciate the complexities of governing economic behaviour and enable them to apply those insights to current regulatory issues in the market; To enable students critically to discuss and evaluate for themselves the regulation of governance in particular markets and to assess and evaluate prospects for reform.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Discuss and explain the origins and forms of market economy, and the particular demands that these origins and forms create for governance

■ Identify governance issues in contemporary political economy and explain why these issues present particular challenges for governance actors

■ Critically evaluate patterns of economic behaviour by applying theory and regulatory perspectives, giving sound explanations in theory and law for positions adopted

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Completion of the summative assessment