Central issues in western intellectual history of law and legal philosophy from antiquity to present time

The aim of the course is for students to acquire general legal knowledge at a time when AI is expected to be capable of performing central components of traditional legal work. Students are trained in intellectual work and historical overview.

The course covers central ideas in the intellectual history of Western law from antiquity to the present. The course begins with a general overview of the history of law, with a focus on Roman law, and then proceeds to an in-depth study of several of the central conceptual structures related to law.

Special weight is placed on:

• the concept of justice (from Aristotle to Rawls),
• equality and equal opportunities,
• the relationship between law and morality,
• the principle of suum cuique and the normative basis of property rights, and
• constitutionalism and legitimacy.

Studies consist of close reading of central texts, supplemented with analysis literature in legal history and legal philosophy. The course emphasises independent intellectual work, argumentation analysis, and conceptual precision.

Instruction is in the form of lectures and mandatory seminars with text discussions and oral analysis.

Progressive specialisation: A1N (has only first‐cycle course/s as entry requirements)

Education level: Master's level

Admission requirements: 60 credits from semesters 1-2 and 90 credits from semesters 3-6 of the Law Programme (JALAW). An equivalence assessment can be made.

Selection: Selection is usually based on your grade point average from upper secondary school or the number of credit points from previous university studies, or both.