98811 - INTRODUCTION TO LAW

Learning outcomes

The objective of the course is to provide students with the basic knowledge of different systems of sources, of the organization of various forms of State and Government and of the diverse Constitutional Courts. According to the objective of the course, the student will learn the regulation of the institutional structures, with special attention to the sources of law, to the evolution of the forms of State and Government and to the protection provided by the different Constitutional Courts. Furthermore, the student will be able to apply the above-mentioned knowledge to European, international, and institutional studies.

Course contents

Course contents

1. Preliminary concepts

Distinguishing law from ethics, social values, politics

Legal norms, Public and private law relationships

Legal positions and legal things: interests and goods, rights, obligations, legitimate expectations

National and supranational legal systems

2. Sources of law:

Definitions

Sources of production and sources on the production

Formal and informal sources: Constitution, acts of primary legislation, acts of secondary legislation

3. The State

Fundamental elements and powers: sovereignty, territory, community

Forms of State: Unitary, Federal and Regional States

Forms of government

4. Constitutional powers and organisms

The Head of State: presidential/monarch prerogatives

Legislative power: the Parliament and the representative principle. Powers and functions

Executive power: Government powers and functions, the Administrative State

Judicial power: judicial system organization models and fundamentals of judicial review

Readings/Bibliography

There are no specific handbook regarding specifically Introduction to law.

The program is mainly based on case studies and learning materials available on the virtuale.unibo website.

Further suggested readings are:

- R. WACKS, Law - A very short introduction, Oxford University Press 2015

- E. ZOLLER, Introduction to public law: a comparative study, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 2008

 

Teaching methods

Teaching methods are academic lessons, promoting dialogue and debate with students. In addition, during the course case law-based lectures will be provided.

Assessment methods

Students will be evaluated through a written test composed by two parts: multiple choice questions and an open question.

Teaching tools

Slide, docs, case law (rulings, etc.), and other case studies (decisions, etc.) will be accessible on "Virtuale" Platform (Dashboard).

Students requiring compensatory measures and/or due to disabilities or Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) should communicate it as soon as possible to the teacher to be addressed to the appropriate office to evaluate and agree on the most suitable measures and tools.

Office hours

See the website of Piergiorgio Novaro