View Specification DocumentComparative Legal History LAW4173
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Law
- Credits: 20
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Semester 1
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This course will investigate the civilian and common law traditions in the period 1600-1900. The focus will be on England and Scotland, western Europe, colonial America, the United States and India and will look at the development of the law and legal institutions across multiple jurisdictions.
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
Essay 1 (formative & summative): 25% (2000 words).
Essay 2 (summative): 75% (3000 words).
Course Aims
The aim of this course is to introduce students to comparative legal history; to expose them to the concept of legal pluralism and the methodologies associated with comparative law in its historical context.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
1. Explain the development of law and legal institutions in a range of jurisdictions influenced by western European colonialism in the early modern period.
2. Produce sustained arguments on a variety of textual sources associated with the development of colonial law in certain common law, civilian and mixed jurisdictions.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the historical forces at work in the development of law; appreciate the significance of legal formants and legal transplants and influence of legal ideas across multiple jurisdictions.