| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12436:[2025 Spring]IR18‐AE101 Introduction to Law (RA) § 12437:IR-AS101 Introduction to Law (RA) § 12438:Introduction to Law (RA) § 12439:RUIR-1801 Introduction to Law(RA) | 2025 | Spring | Fri2 | College Of Law,College Of Economics,College Of Business Administration,College Of Social Sciences,College Of International Relations,College Of Letters,College of Image Arts and Sciences,College of Information Science and Engineering,College of Sport and Health Science (tentative name) | OCHI MEGUMI | 2 |
Campus
Class Venue
Language
Course Outline and Method
Information for “+R-Jugyo” will be posted on the “Course News” on manaba+R by April 1. Be sure to check the “Course News” on manaba+R.
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This course is designed as an introduction to the essentials of law and legal systems. It aims to provide insight into the nature and function of law and familiarize students with key concepts, institutions and processes in various fields of law, such as constitutional law, criminal law, procedural law, property law, contracts and torts. The course seeks to place law in its social, economic, political, historical and philosophical context and thus not only to provide students with a knowledge of legal institutions but also to help them to develop a critical understanding of the operation of those institutions in society. The teaching of the course will take the form of formal lecturing and class discussions. This course will use both/either formative and/or summative evaluation.
Student Attainment Objectives
1. understand the nature and function of law;
2. explain the structure of the legal system;
3. identify and understand the sources and fundamental concepts of law;
4. think critically about law and its place in society
Recommended Preparatory Course
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| +R Jugyo | Introduction to the subject |
Video and reading materials are provided. |
|
| 1 | Part I: Basics of law 1 |
The genesis of law
|
|
| 2 | Part I: Basics of law 2 |
How to read cases, how courts work
|
|
| 3 | Part I: Basics of law 3 |
The roles of a legal system, critical approaches (restorative justice, transformative jsutice, therapeutic jurisprudence, victim-ventered approah), the rule of law |
|
| 4 | Part I: Positive and comparative law |
Relationship between international law and domestic law, global constitutionalism, constitutional law, comparative law |
|
| 5 [ondemand-media-based] | On jury system |
"Twelve Angry Men” |
|
| 6 | Part I: Positive and comparative law |
constitutional law, comparative law |
|
| 7 | Part I: Summary |
Discussion and test |
|
| 8-10 | Part II: Philosophy of law |
The concept, justice theories, rights and obligations, contemporary issues of law |
|
| 11-13 | Part II: International law |
Bacis rules and principles, ICJ and ICC, legality and responsibility |
|
| 14 | Part II: Summary |
Discussion and test |
Class Format
- Subject to occasional change to ondemand format
- Any change of format will be communicated via manaba+R.
Recommendations for Private Study
Grade Evaluation Method
| Kind | Percentage | Grading Criteria etc. |
|---|---|---|
| Final Examination (Written) | ||
| Report Examination (A report to be submitted by the unified deadline) |
||
| Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment (Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class) |
100 | Discussion and comments: 50%
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
Textbooks
Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）
Reference Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN Code | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law: A Very Short Introduction, third edition | Raymond Wacks | OUP Oxford, 2023 | ||
| The Concept of Law, third edition | HLA Hart | OUP Oxford, 2012 | ||
| Law's Empire | Ronald Dworkin | Hart Pub Ltd, 2003 | ||
| Law as a Social System | Niklas Luhmann | Oxford University Press (Japan) Ltd., 2004 | ||
| Philosophy of Human Rights: Theory and Practice | David Boersema | Routledge, 2018 |
Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）
Web Pages for Reference
How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)
Other Comments
URL:https://secure.ritsumei.ac.jp/students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html/