Political Science

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

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Module Code: POU33132

Module Name: European Court of Justice and other Famous Courts 2024-25

ECTS Weighting: 5
Semester/Term Taught: Semester 2
Contact Hours: 2 lectures per week; 1 tutorial per fortnight.
Module Personnel: Lecturer: Dr William Phelan

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, it is expected that students will have a detailed understanding of the politics, history and law of the European Court of Justice, one of the most remarkable institutions in contemporary international politics and without precedent in previous world history. It will be an interdisciplinary module drawing on political science, law, and history. Although the major focus of the module is on the European Court of Justice, the politics and law of other courts and international tribunals will also be discussed, certainly including the United States Supreme Court and the politics of the US constitution, but also perhaps the Nuremberg Trials as well as international dispute settlement tribunals such as the World Trade Organization, Investor-State Dispute Settlement systems, and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Module Learning Aims

This course is aimed at those wanting a comprehensive knowledge of the European Court of Justice as well as other prominent courts, tribunals and legal systems, national and international.

Module Content

Students will also have developed an understanding of alternative approaches to understanding and investigating court decision-making, including through a focus on legal texts, use of the comparative method, archival research, judicial biography, and quantitative approaches.