LAWPUBL 758 Special Topic: International Disarmament Law - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

No prescription

Course Overview

The commitment to disarmament has been an enduring feature of the UN Charter order however progress towards the UN’s goal of general and complete disarmament has met numerous challenges and, more recently, appeared to falter in the face of renewed military tensions and global power rivalries. This subject will equip students with the necessary legal, historical and analytical tools to reflect critically on the issues of disarmament which pose an existential threat to life on Earth and which cut across multiple other areas of legal study and global concern (including the environment, global public health, race, and inequality).

This subject examines the progress towards disarmament, a fundamental pillar of the UN Charter order said to underpin the peaceful settlement of disputes and the avoidance of military conflict. Throughout the UN Charter era the scope, definition, and goals of disarmament have been the subject of perpetual struggle with a range of relevant actors – including states, international organisations, companies, and ‘civil society’ groups – influencing the process and ambitions of weapons regulation and disarmament.

Yet despite this wide range of diverse actors, legal doctrine and orthodox accounts continue to focus attention on inter-state initiatives and, in particular, ‘great power’ actions. This subject offers a broader analysis, taking a theoretically and historically engaged approach to assessing the development and prospects of progress towards disarmament.

Principal topics are likely to include:

• Introduction to issues of weapons, disarmament, and international law. How is disarmament defined? What are the goals of disarmament? What threats is disarmament meant to address, and how?

• Histories of weapons regulation and disarmament in international law charting late 19th century efforts, the League of Nations, and the early UN Charter and revolutionary decolonisation era.

• Legal frameworks in disarmament law including weapons prohibitions, regulation, and non-proliferation.

• Major milestones. How were they achieved, who were the relevant actors, and what have been the effects? e.g. test bans, Nuclear Free Zones, etc.

• WMD focus: the non-proliferation regime (NPT) as case study. How is proliferation risk policed/managed? What are the features of this form of disarmament? How are the goals of disarmament served by the NPT regime?

• WMD focus: the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). What is the history of the TPNW? How does it seek to achieve the goals of disarmament? Who are the relevant actors? How does it relate to the NPT regime?

• The future of disarmament for international law. Where to now? How, and by whom?

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Learning Outcomes

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

Define disarmament, its goals in addressing threats through international law, and critically analyse and discuss disarmament measures. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
Explain the history of weapons regulation and disarmament in international law from the late 19th century to the present. (Capability 3.1 and 4.1)
Compare and contrast legal frameworks in disarmament law, including weapons prohibitions, regulation, and non-proliferation measures. (Capability 4.1)
Interpret major milestones in disarmament, their achievers, and their effects (e.g., test bans, Nuclear Free Zones). (Capability 3.1, 4.1 and 6.1)
Examine and analyse the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), its history, actors involved, and its relationship with the NPT regime. (Capability 3.1, 4.1 and 6.1)
Analyse the future of disarmament in international law, including the challenges, paths forward, and the roles of different stakeholders. (Capability 3.1, 5.1 and 6.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Class participation	10%	Individual Coursework
Reflective Journal	15%	Individual Coursework
Research Outline	10%	Individual Coursework
Research essay	65%	Individual Coursework
4 types	100%

Assessment Type	Learning Outcome Addressed
	1	2	3	4	5	6
Class participation
Reflective Journal
Research Outline
Research essay

Class Participation (10%)

• The extent of preparation for leading the discussions, in particular the analysis of the reading materials and guided questions

• The depth and thoroughness of understanding of the reading materials and guided questions

• The ability to draw worthwhile conclusions in the class discussion

• Thoughtfulness of contributions

• Generally, engagement in class and respect for fellow students

Reflective Journal (15%)

Documenting class learning by:

(a) a reflective log after each class including brief responses to a chosen discussion question and reflections on class exercises; and

(b) an extended reflection on a class topic or overarching theme, no more than 1,000 words, due 1 week after completion of course.

Research outline (10%)

The research outline should provide an abstract that outlines the proposed research question and main thesis of the student’s research essay and an outline of the structure of the proposed research essay. The research outline and essay cannot duplicate the topic or theme focused on in the reflective journal.

Essay (65%)

Each student is required to submit a research essay of no more than 8,000 words, including footnotes.

Workload Expectations

This is an intensive 30-point course taught over five working days. There will be around 40 hours of lectures/seminars in this course. As a general guide you should expect a workload of four hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 300 hours.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected over the five day intensive and the class proceeds with student presentations and discussions in a seminar style. Because the course is designed to be participatory, it depends upon students being personally present and contributing.

The course will not include live online events.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a block delivery.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This course is being taught for the first time.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Capability 3:	Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4:	Critical Thinking
Capability 5:	Solution Seeking
Capability 6:	Communication

LAWPUBL 758 : Special Topic: International Disarmament Law

Law

2024 Semester One (1243) (30 POINTS)