Course Catalogue

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This course provides an advanced level investigation into contemporary issues and debates concerning labour and the world of work from an international law perspective. Participants will be invited to critically reflect on the relevance and impact of international labour law principles and norms on governments, businesses, workers and their trade unions. After providing a brief historical overview of the origins of international labour law and of the International Labour Organisation, the course will introduce participants to the processes and actors involved in the creation, enforcement and supervision of international labour standards. The course will then focus on selected areas of concern for international labour law such as collective labour rights and the international protection of the right to strike, the conditions of workers in global value chains, labour exploitation and modern slavery, decent work for vulnerable workers, migration and labour in a global economy and just transitions.

10 weekly 2-hour sessions

Entry to the LLM programme

None

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Students will submit a research essay of 2000 words (30%) and sit a 2-hour written exam (70%). The topic for the essay will be uploaded on Moodle within the first two weeks of the term. Students will work on their essay individually. For the written exam, students will answer 3 essay-type questions out of 5 options. The maximum word limit for the exam will be 3000.

1. To introduce participants to some of the contemporary debates concerning the protection of labour rights at the international level

2. To enhance participants' written and oral communication skills by offering them opportunities to present work-in-progress and engage in structured discussions with their peers

3. To enhance participants' problem-solving skills through the discussion of cases concerning the protection of labour rights at the international level

4. To enhance participants' critical legal thinking skills by providing them with structured opportunities to discuss complex theoretical and practical labour law issues arising in the context of globalisation

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

1. Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the processes and actors involved in setting, enforcing and monitoring labour standards at the international level

2. Demonstrate familiarity with a range of theoretical, legal and policy issues concerning the protection of labour rights at the international level

3. Develop and articulate a critical understanding of the role of international labour law in today's globalised world of work

4. Critically assess legal and policy trends in the field of international labour law, such as the implications of just transitions on the world of work

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.