Aims

The aim of the course is twofold: (a) introducing the student to some major legal systems and to a comparative approach combining several legal traditions; (b) assisting the student in becoming acquainted with the skills required for attending lectures and presenting a written examination in a foreign language (Dutch), and specifically in the context of legal studies.

Main themes

1. General Part: a general survey of some major legal traditions of the world (chtonic law, religious laws: Hindu, Jewish, Islamic traditions, Western legal systems etc.).
2. Special Part: detailed studies of specific institutions of a foreign (Western) legal system - these may vary from one year to another.

Content and teaching methods

Contents: (see also above, 2.)

1. General Part and
2. Special Part.

Teaching methods:

Part 1: systematic outlines of the major features of each tradition, including if possible each time a section on practical issues raised by the application of a non-Western legal rule in a Western forum.
Part 2: systematic outlines of selected topics (which may vary from one year to another: e.g. trusts in Anglo-American law, the general theory of contracts in German law etc.)

Other credits in programs