Course Catalog of the Online Exchange Initiative (OEI) at University of Mannheim – fall semester 2024

  • Lecture period: 2 September 2024 – 6 December 2024
  • Examination period: 9 December 2024 – 21 December 2024
  • For the detailed course schedule and description, please click on the courses title.
  • Make sure you read the syllabus thoroughly as it contains information on live online sessions, the schedule and course requirements.

The OEI Course Catalog of University of Mannheim for the fall semester 2024 below will be filled up gradually, so please monitor possible updates! The list of courses will be complete latest by 27 May 2024!

Please go to the section Application Process (OEI) to learn how to apply!


Social Sciences

Bachelor

HS Social Psychology: “The irrational mind: How biases and heuristics shape our social life” (Seminar (Advanced Level), English)
Course type:
Seminar (Advanced Level)
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Attendance:
Online, live
Registration procedure:
  • Up to twelve ENGAGE.EU/exchange students can attend the course. If you would like to attend the course, please register for it as part of the course registration process. You will be informed whether you can attend after the end of the registration period.
Learning target:
  • Will be announced and discussed in detail during the seminar.
Recommended requirement:
Literature:
  • Will be announced and discussed in detail during the seminar.
Examination achievement:
  • Term paper („Hausarbeit“)
Instructor(s):
Jana Berkessel
Date(s):
Tuesday  (weekly) 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 10:15 – 11:45 ZOOM-Lehre-001; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
  • Have you ever wondered why people make decisions that seem irrational or illogical? Why do we sometimes rely on mental shortcuts, even when it leads us astray? In this seminar, you will learn about the social psychology of cognitive biases and heuristics, exploring how these mental shortcuts influence our social perceptions, judgments, and decision-making. We will not only learn about existing theory and research but will also discuss how biases shape the societies we live in and how we can reduce them in the long run.

This seminar will be held virtually via zoom and in English.
Contact: Dr. Jana Berkessel; jana.berkessel@uni-mannheim.de; 0621 181 2801; A310 in A5, 6
HS Selected Topics in General and Specific Sociology: Gender Inequality & Migration: Europe and the European Neighbourhood (Seminar (Advanced Level), English)
Course type:
Seminar (Advanced Level)
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Online, live
Examination achievement:
Presentation of the exposé of the seminar paper (incl. peer feedback), research design seminar paper
Instructor(s):
Dr. Sandra Morgenstern
Date(s):
Thursday  (weekly) 05.09.2024 – 05.12.2024 13:45 – 15:15 ZOOM-Lehre-028; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
This seminar will examine the influence of gender inequalities on migration. The course will first introduce the definitions and conceptualisations of sex and gender from a social science perspective. It will then examine the topic of structural and social inequalities and identify the ways in which these can be observed in different forms through the dimension of gender. In the main part of the seminar, we will examine the influence of gender inequalities on the different areas of migration, inter alia, the decision to migrate, migration behaviour and the integration of migrants. The geographical focus of the seminar is on Europe, the EU and the Schengen region, and its neighbouring regions, namely North Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the Balkans and Eastern Europe.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.

Humanities

Bachelor

IDV 401 International Cultural Studies: Lecture 1 (online) (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
5.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live & recorded
Registration procedure:
Registration: All incoming exchange students at the School of Humanities need to register for their courses via Portal2. For further details, please check the instructions for course registration or contact incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.

Anmeldung: Alle Austauschstudierenden der Philosophischen Fakultät müssen sich über Portal2 für ihre Kurse anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Anleitung oder wenden Sie sich an incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.
Recommended requirement:
Examination achievement:
Written Exam (“Bring your own device”)
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Philipp Gassert, Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl
Date(s):
Tuesday  (weekly) 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 08:30 – 10:00 ZOOM-Lehre-002; Virtuelles Gebäude
Friday  (single date) 06.09.2024 12:00 – 13:30 W 117 Hörsaal; Schloss Westflügel
Friday  (single date) 18.10.2024 12:00 – 13:30 ZOOM-Lehre-030; Virtuelles Gebäude
Friday  (single date) 06.12.2024 12:00 – 13:30 W 117 Hörsaal; Schloss Westflügel
Description:
Please note when registering for this course: If you are participating as an ENGAGE.EU student, you can only participate in the online lectures A and B. Online lectures are open to all students. Please contact ics@uni-mannheim.de if you have any questions.
Please note that further weekly dates and times for the lectures will be announced soon.

Content
The lecture International Cultural Studies introduces students to basic select topics and concepts related to the field of cultural studies by discussing texts and theories from international scholars. It provides an overview of key terms such as race, class, gender, and identity among others and enables students to understand and reflect upon these key terms and their underlying concepts within their historical, societal, and cultural context. To do so, it raises questions on how cultural texts and practices shape our understanding of society, politics, history and culture.

Organizational Information
There will be 5 parallel groups (International Cultural Studies: Lecture A-E) for this course. You will need to register for one group only.
Each parallel group consists of two complementary sections: a weekly preparatory lecture (45 minutes) followed by an interactive discussion session (45 minutes).
Students will be able to prepare the lecture material on their own time. In each guided discussion session, students collaboratively engage in more detail in topics and concepts introduced in the lecture recordings.
Each recorded lecture will be made available with all other materials (presentations, texts) a week before each discussion session. 

There will be an introductory lecture on 6 September 2024 at 12:00 for all parallel groups. This first session will provide more information on the organizational structure and the content of this lecture. Discussion sessions for all groups will begin in the first week of the lecture period.
There will be two additional digital information and recap sessions for all parallel groups during the semester on 18 October 2024 and on 6 December 2023 at 12:00.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
IDV 401 International Cultural Studies: Lecture 2 (on campus/online only if needed) (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
5.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:
Registration: All incoming exchange students at the School of Humanities need to register for their courses via Portal2. For further details, please check the instructions for course registration or contact incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.

Anmeldung: Alle Austauschstudierenden der Philosophischen Fakultät müssen sich über Portal2 für ihre Kurse anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Anleitung oder wenden Sie sich an incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.
Recommended requirement:
Examination achievement:
Written Exam
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Philipp Gassert, Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl
Date(s):
Tuesday  (weekly) 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 10:15 – 11:45 O 145 Heinrich Vetter Hörsaal; Schloss Ostflügel
Description:
Please note when registering for this course: If you are participating as an ENGAGE.EU student, you can only participate in the online lectures A and B. Online lectures are open to all students. Please contact ics@uni-mannheim.de if you have any questions.
Please note that further dates and times for the lectures will be announced soon.

Content
The lecture International Cultural Studies introduces students to basic select topics and concepts related to the field of cultural studies by discussing texts and theories from international scholars. It provides an overview of key terms such as race, class, gender, and identity among others and enables students to understand and reflect upon these key terms and their underlying concepts within their historical, societal, and cultural context. To do so, it raises questions on how cultural texts and practices shape our understanding of society, politics, history and culture.

Organizational Information
There will be 6 parallel groups (International Cultural Studies: Lecture A-F) for this course. You will need to register for one group only.
Each parallel group consists of two complementary sections: a weekly preparatory lecture (45 minutes) followed by an interactive discussion session (45 minutes).
Students will be able to prepare the lecture material on their own time. In each guided discussion session, students collaboratively engage in more detail in topics and concepts introduced in the lecture recordings.
Each recorded lecture will be made available with all other materials (presentations, texts) a week before each discussion session. 

There will be an online introductory lecture on 4 September 2023 at 7pm for all parallel groups. This first session will provide more information on the organizational structure and the content of this lecture. Discussion sessions for all groups will begin in the first week of the lecture period.
There will be two additional digital information and recap sessions for all parallel groups during the semester on 23 October 2023 and on 4 December 2023 at 7pm.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
IDV 401 International Cultural Studies: Lecture 3 (on campus) (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
5.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Registration procedure:
Registration: All incoming exchange students at the School of Humanities need to register for their courses via Portal2. For further details, please check the instructions for course registration or contact incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.

Anmeldung: Alle Austauschstudierenden der Philosophischen Fakultät müssen sich über Portal2 für ihre Kurse anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Anleitung oder wenden Sie sich an incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.
Recommended requirement:
Examination achievement:
Written Exam
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Philipp Gassert, Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl
Date(s):
Wednesday  (weekly) 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 17:15 – 18:45 EO 159 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Please note when registering for this course: If you are participating as an ENGAGE.EU student, you can only participate in the online lectures A and B. Online lectures are open to all students. Please contact ics@uni-mannheim.de if you have any questions.
Please note that further dates and times for the lectures will be announced soon.

Content
The lecture International Cultural Studies introduces students to basic select topics and concepts related to the field of cultural studies by discussing texts and theories from international scholars. It provides an overview of key terms such as race, class, gender, and identity among others and enables students to understand and reflect upon these key terms and their underlying concepts within their historical, societal, and cultural context. To do so, it raises questions on how cultural texts and practices shape our understanding of society, politics, history and culture.

Organizational Information
There will be 6 parallel groups (International Cultural Studies: Lecture A-F) for this course. You will need to register for one group only.
Each parallel group consists of two complementary sections: a weekly preparatory lecture (45 minutes) followed by an interactive discussion session (45 minutes).
Students will be able to prepare the lecture material on their own time. In each guided discussion session, students collaboratively engage in more detail in topics and concepts introduced in the lecture recordings.
Each recorded lecture will be made available with all other materials (presentations, texts) a week before each discussion session. 

There will be an online introductory lecture on 4 September 2023 at 7pm for all parallel groups. This first session will provide more information on the organizational structure and the content of this lecture. Discussion sessions for all groups will begin in the first week of the lecture period.
There will be two additional digital information and recap sessions for all parallel groups during the semester on 23 October 2023 and on 4 December 2023 at 7pm.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
IDV 401 International Cultural Studies: Lecture 4 (on campus) (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
5.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Registration procedure:
Registration: All incoming exchange students at the School of Humanities need to register for their courses via Portal2. For further details, please check the instructions for course registration or contact incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.

Anmeldung: Alle Austauschstudierenden der Philosophischen Fakultät müssen sich über Portal2 für ihre Kurse anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Anleitung oder wenden Sie sich an incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.
Recommended requirement:
Examination achievement:
Written Exam
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Philipp Gassert, Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl
Date(s):
⚠ Monday  (weekly) 02.09.2024 – 02.12.2024 10:15 – 11:45 EO 382 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Caution: Individual dates in the series marked with have changed. Please check the portal for details.
Description:
Please note when registering for this course: If you are participating as an ENGAGE.EU student, you can only participate in the online lectures A and B. Online lectures are open to all students. Please contact ics@uni-mannheim.de if you have any questions.
Please note that further dates and times for the lectures will be announced soon.

Content
The lecture International Cultural Studies introduces students to basic select topics and concepts related to the field of cultural studies by discussing texts and theories from international scholars. It provides an overview of key terms such as race, class, gender, and identity among others and enables students to understand and reflect upon these key terms and their underlying concepts within their historical, societal, and cultural context. To do so, it raises questions on how cultural texts and practices shape our understanding of society, politics, history and culture.

Organizational Information
There will be 6 parallel groups (International Cultural Studies: Lecture A-F) for this course. You will need to register for one group only.
Each parallel group consists of two complementary sections: a weekly preparatory lecture (45 minutes) followed by an interactive discussion session (45 minutes).
Students will be able to prepare the lecture material on their own time. In each guided discussion session, students collaboratively engage in more detail in topics and concepts introduced in the lecture recordings.
Each recorded lecture will be made available with all other materials (presentations, texts) a week before each discussion session. 

There will be an online introductory lecture on 4 September 2023 at 7pm for all parallel groups. This first session will provide more information on the organizational structure and the content of this lecture. Discussion sessions for all groups will begin in the first week of the lecture period.
There will be two additional digital information and recap sessions for all parallel groups during the semester on 23 October 2023 and on 4 December 2023 at 7pm.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
IDV 401 International Cultural Studies: Lecture 5 (on campus) (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
5.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live & recorded
Registration procedure:
Registration: All incoming exchange students at the School of Humanities need to register for their courses via Portal2. For further details, please check the instructions for course registration or contact incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.

Anmeldung: Alle Austauschstudierenden der Philosophischen Fakultät müssen sich über Portal2 für ihre Kurse anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Anleitung oder wenden Sie sich an incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.
Recommended requirement:
Examination achievement:
Written Exam
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Philipp Gassert, Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl
Date(s):
Wednesday  (weekly) 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 15:30 – 17:00 EO 159 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Please note when registering for this course: If you are participating as an ENGAGE.EU student, you can only participate in the online lectures A and B. Online lectures are open to all students. Please contact ics@uni-mannheim.de if you have any questions.
Please note that further dates and times for the lectures will be announced soon.

Content
The lecture International Cultural Studies introduces students to basic select topics and concepts related to the field of cultural studies by discussing texts and theories from international scholars. It provides an overview of key terms such as race, class, gender, and identity among others and enables students to understand and reflect upon these key terms and their underlying concepts within their historical, societal, and cultural context. To do so, it raises questions on how cultural texts and practices shape our understanding of society, politics, history and culture.

Organizational Information
There will be 6 parallel groups (International Cultural Studies: Lecture A-F) for this course. You will need to register for one group only.
Each parallel group consists of two complementary sections: a weekly preparatory lecture (45 minutes) followed by an interactive discussion session (45 minutes).
Students will be able to prepare the lecture material on their own time. In each guided discussion session, students collaboratively engage in more detail in topics and concepts introduced in the lecture recordings.
Each recorded lecture will be made available with all other materials (presentations, texts) a week before each discussion session. 

There will be an online introductory lecture on 4 September 2023 at 7pm for all parallel groups. This first session will provide more information on the organizational structure and the content of this lecture. Discussion sessions for all groups will begin in the first week of the lecture period.
There will be two additional digital information and recap sessions for all parallel groups during the semester on 23 October 2023 and on 4 December 2023 at 7pm.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
IDV 402 Power, Identity, and Participation (Seminar, English)
Course type:
Seminar
ECTS:
6
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Online, live
Registration procedure:
Registration: All incoming exchange students at the School of Humanities need to register for their courses via Portal2. For further details, please check the instructions for course registration or contact incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.

Anmeldung: Alle Austauschstudierenden der Philosophischen Fakultät müssen sich über Portal2 für ihre Kurse anmelden. Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Anleitung oder wenden Sie sich an incomingmail-phil.uni-mannheim.de.
Recommended requirement:
Examination achievement:
Term Paper: 10–15 pages
Instructor(s):
Dr. Ana-Sofia Uhl
Date(s):
Wednesday  (weekly) 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 17:15 – 18:45 ZOOM-Lehre-101; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
Power and cultural identity are two important concepts for social and political analysis. This course introduces students to major issues in the conceptualization and application of power as it relates to issues of identity and political participation by focusing on open and hidden forms of their manifestation at different levels of analysis (i.e. from the global to the personal). The seminar reviews key concepts and debates connected to selected theorists and influential activists including: Edward Barnays (Propaganda); Edward Said (Orientalism); Amartya Sen (Identity and Violence); Hannah Arendt (The Origins of Totalitarianism); Erich Fromm (Escape from Freedom); Mahatma Gandhi (My Experiments with the Truth); Martin Luther King Jr. (Letters from a Birmingham Jail). Ultimately, the seminar will enable students to obtain a more nuanced understanding of power and everyday politics. They will also acquire an informed perspective on issues of governance, propaganda, citizenship, social inclusion, and justice across different cultural and regional contexts.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
IDV 406: Film: Geschichte, Theorie, Genre und Analyse / Film: History, Theory, Genre and Analysis (Lecture, German)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
5.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor
Language of instruction:
German
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Online, live
Examination achievement:
Klausur / Take Home Exam
Instructor(s):
Dr. Andreas Wagenknecht
Date(s):
Monday  (weekly) 02.09.2024 – 02.12.2024 10:15 – 11:45 ZOOM-Lehre-146; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
Die Vorlesung gibt einen Ein- und Überblick in die Geschichte und Theorie des Films und zeigt ausgewählte Bereiche der filmwissenschaftlichen Forschung exemplarisch auf. Kanonische Werke und Entwicklungsphasen des Films werden ebenso thematisiert wie der “Kampf” um die (künstlerische) Wesensbestimmung des Films, die Unterscheidung zwischen fiktionalen und dokumentarischen Formen oder beispielsweise die Rolle der Musik im Film.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.

Please note: for technical reasons, all course slots of IDV401 are on display here. Only “IDV401-Lecture A" and “IDV410-Lecture B" are taught online for virtual ENGAGE.EU students.


Economics

Master

E5116 Programming Course for Economists (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
2.5
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
1
Attendance:
Online, live
Examination achievement:
Course paper (100%)
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Bernhard Ganglmair
Date(s):
Monday  (weekly) 02.09.2024 – 21.10.2024 10:15 – 11:45 ZOOM-Lehre-136; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
This course aims to introduce students to the essential tools of text analysis (or: natural language processing, NLP). It turns unstructured text into quantitative data used for empirical research in economics, management science, and many other fields. We will use R for most of the course and Python to showcase some machine learning applications with text data at the end of the semester. Topics:
  • Working with text: regular expressions/regex – text parsing – parts-of-speech tagging – web-scraping – dictionaries
  • Text as data: – word-embeddings (from bag-of-words to word2vec/GloVe) – topic models – sentiment analysis – text-similarity
  • ML with text (in Python): – ML fundamentals – BERT – text-classification We will use recent economics and management science literature applications to illustrate methods and concepts.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.

Law

Bachelor

International Civil and Commercial Litigation (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:
This course will examine all major aspects of cross-border litigation as the conventional and most important method of international dispute resolution between private parties. Primary emphasis is on the conduct of international litigation in EU Member States, but there will also be comparative treatment of other major jurisdictions (notably the UK and the U.S.).

After introducing the concept of international litigation and the main policy issues at stake, the course will comprehensively address the crucial procedural law questions lawyers have to deal with when bringing a cross-border civil or commercial dispute to a national court. These include: international jurisdiction (Which court is competent?), coordination between different jurisdictions (lis pendens, provisional measures), conduct of proceedings (service of documents, taking evidence abroad) as well as recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

Students who have completed the course will have developed a sound understanding of international procedural law that will enable them to successfully work in a litigation context, be it in the judiciary, a law firm or a legal department. The course is suited for exchange and graduate students (LL.M., M.C.B.L.) in law and related fields as well as for LL.B. students aiming to cover the relevant aspects of international procedural law required for taking the First German State Exam according to § 8 Abs. 2 Nr. 5 JAPrO.

The course will cover the following subjects:
•    Concept and practical relevance of international litigation
•    Advantages and disadvantages of international litigation
•    Sources of international procedural law
•    International jurisdiction
•    Coordination between different jurisdictions
•    Conduct of proceedings
•    Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments

Course materials: Required reading materials will be provided or made available electronically via the university library. Introductory and further readings (optional):
•    Fentiman, Richard: International Commercial Litigation, 2nd edition, Oxford 2015, Oxford University Press
•    Hartley, Trevor C.: International Commercial Litigation, 3rd edition, Cambridge 2020, Cambridge University Press
•    Junker, Abbo: Internationales Zivilprozessrecht, 5th edition, München 2020, C. H. Beck

Assessment: Class participation and take-home-exam
Instructor(s):
Dr. Torsten Andreas Kindt
Date(s):
Tuesday  (weekly) 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 15:30 – 17:00 B 243 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
International Criminal Law (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Online, live
Literature:
Required reading materials will be provided electronically.

Introductory Readings (optional):
  • Cassese, Antonio, ‘International Criminal Law’ (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2008)
  • Cryer, Robert, ‘An Introduction to International Criminal Law and Procedure’ (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010)
  • Schabas, William A., ‘The International Criminal Court: A Commentary on the Rome Statute’ (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2010)
  • Werle, Gerhard, ‘Principles of International Criminal Law’ (The Hague, Asser, 2005)
You don’t need to buy one of these textbooks since they are only intended to provide you with a first insight into the subject matter. Besides, all are available at Mannheim University Library.
Instructor(s):
Raphael Oidtmann
Date(s):
Friday  (weekly) 13.09.2024 – 06.12.2024 08:30 – 10:00 ZOOM-Lehre-041; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
One of the most significant developments both in international law and international relations throughout the last two decades has been the (re-)emergence of an international legal order based on a robust interpretation of the concept of international criminal justice. By establishing both international and hybrid criminal courts addressing international core crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, the international community has demonstrated an ever more growing commitment to end impunity for the most heinous crimes affecting mankind as a whole and to hold those bearing individual criminal responsibility personally accountable.

This course aims at providing students with a fundamental understanding of this increasingly important realm of public international law. Thus, in a first approach, an overview both of international criminal law’s theoretical foundation as well as its historical sources will be provided. Adjacently, focus will be given to the ad-hoc tribunals of the 1990s (such as the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) and most prominently to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the first permanent international organization addressing matters of international criminal justice.

Complementary to this institutional approach, the second part of the course will address material law aspects: Besides the abovementioned crimes as stipulated in the Rome Statute forming the International Criminal Court, attention will be given to further international crimes such as piracy or terrorism. Additionally, questions such as immunity from prosecution for heads of state or government, modes of liability, interdependencies between the national and international judicial sphere and notions of state sovereignty will be addressed throughout the course.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
International Humanitarian Law / The law of armed conflict (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a body of rules that seeks to limit the effects of armed conflict. IHL protects those who are not participating in hostilities, and those who are no longer participating in hostilities. This body of law imposes limits on the methods and means of warfare. IHL forms part of public international law and is largely based on treaties and rules of customary international law. 
In this course the development as well as the basic concepts of IHL will be explored. Students will be introduced to the most important documents governing armed conflict, learn how to apply these and will consider the challenges posed to the application of IHL in armed conflicts. A large part of the course will focus on the new developments in IHL including the emergence of new forms of armed conflicts and the development and use of new technologies in armed conflict.

Assessment
Assessment for this course will consist of one presentation and one take-home exam.
Instructor(s):
Marelie Manders
Date(s):
Wednesday  (weekly) 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 15:30 – 17:00 EO 162 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost

Master

Comparative Law I: European Legal Traditions (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
6.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:

This class makes the nature of Comparative Law as well as its functions and aims accessible to students from different legal backgrounds. As studying even one legal system fully is difficult and time-consuming, the course must necessarily take a selective approach to comparative law and to the multitude of legal systems in the world. The class Comparative Law I therefore will focus on European Legal Traditions, whose similarities and differences are an important driver of European harmonization. Matching the overall aim of this module the course will focus on private law and business law aspects of comparative law.

The course has three main components. The first part will cover the origins and utility of comparative law, its aims, tools and methods. This part will particularly focus on the legal orders, which the participants of the class are most familiar with.

The main second part of the course will look at common features of generally accepted concepts of both contract law and of building bricks necessary for any business law, such as division of work, liability, tort law and insurance. The different possible solutions for these problems, which appear in different forms in many jurisdictions, will be presented, followed by an analysis of how they are governed by legal orders belonging to different legal families. Lines of influence and hybrids will similarly be covered.

Furthermore, the course will give comparative legal insights to laws in transition as well as legal transplants. Whereas former socialist European countries may serve as an example for the first, the adoption of economic concepts in contract law (such as merchandising and franchising from the US in Europe and the respective related problems of integration into European Union law) are paradigmatic for the second. The third part of the course will cover a comparison of legal education and profession (e.g. role of the judiciary), a critical matter for proper delivery of legal services to foreign clients and working effectively with international law partners.
 
Examination achievement:
Written examination
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Oliver Brand
Date(s):
Tuesday  (weekly) 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 12:00 – 13:30 EO 150 AbsolventUM Hörsaal; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Contents:
This class makes the nature of Comparative Law as well as its functions and aims accessible to students from different legal backgrounds. As studying even one legal system fully is difficult and time-consuming, the course must necessarily take a selective approach to comparative law and to the multitude of legal systems in the world. The class Comparative Law I therefore will focus on European Legal Traditions, whose similarities and differences, are an important driver of European harmonization. Matching the overall aim of this module the course will focus on private law and business law aspects of comparative law.
The course has three main components. The first part will cover the origins and utility of comparative law, its aims, tools and methods. This part will particularly focus on the legal orders, which the participants of the class are most familiar with.
The main second part of the course will look at common features of generally accepted concepts of both contract law and of building bricks necessary for any business law, such as division of work, liability, tort law, insurance. The different possible solutions for these problems, which appear in different forms in many jurisdictions will be presented, followed by an analysis of how they are governed by legal orders belonging to different legal families. Lines of influence and hybrids will similarly be covered. Furthermore the course will give comparative legal insights to laws in transition as well as legal transplants. Whereas former socialist European countries may serve as an example for the first, the adoption of economic concepts in contract law (such as merchandising and franchising from the US in Europe and the respective related problems of integration into European Union law) are paradigmatic for the second.
The third part of the course will cover a comparison of legal education and profession (e.g. role of the judiciary), a critical matter for proper delivery of legal services to foreign clients and working effectively with international law partners.
  • Aims and methods of comparative law research
  • Principle of equality of all legal orders
  • Grouping of legal families according to historic origin or structure
  • Basic concepts of contract law: party autonomy, formation of contract, performance
  • Basic concepts of business law: division of work, liability, tort law, insurance
  • Hybrids and legal transplants
Learning outcomes and qualification goals:
The course Comparative Law deals with nature, technique and purpose of legal comparison both from a theoretical and from a practical point of view. Further it aims at introducing students to fundamental concepts of the European Legal families, which more often than not serve as model for European harmonization. The insight will provide students with the necessary analytical background allowing them to carry out comparative legal analysis in their respective further fields of studies.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
E-Commerce & Internet (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8.0
Course suitable for:
Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:

The course gives a thorough introduction to the legal problems, which may occur in the course of the use of the internet in general and e-commerce in particular. It is focused on the view of business related activities. Based on an introduction to the infrastructure of the internet the course will analyse the major legal issues of five economically relevant sections :

  • E-Commerce & Private Law
  • Advertising for e-commerce
  • Online shops and copyright law
  • Domains
  • Cross border e-commerce

The chapter on E-Commerce & Private Law will inter alia cover formation of contract, standard terms and conditions, consumer protection and specific problems connected to internet auctions and mobile commerce.

Advertising for e-commerce will take a look at rules of unfair competition, required imprint information, the ban on spamming, specific requirements for sales of pharmaceutical products via the internet and, of course, on ad-words. Further the liability under tele media law, for hyperlinks, hotspot operators and for user generated content will be an important issue.

The section on copyright law and online shops will focus on copyright restrictions for the presentation of content (including file sharing and streaming) and will take a look on the protection of content and websites.

The section on domains will explain the domain name system and its implications on trademark law and unfair competition law. It will also look at the possibilities to protect a domain as trademark. Finally and the legal consequences of infringement will be covered.

Examination achievement:
Written examination
Date(s):
Thursday  (weekly) 05.09.2024 – 17.10.2024 15:30 – 18:45 ZOOM-Lehre-110; Virtuelles Gebäude
Thursday  (single date) 26.09.2024 15:30 – 18:45 016 Seminarraum; A 3 Bibl.,Hörsaalgebäude
Description:
Contents:
The course gives a thorough introduction to the legal problems, which may occur in the course of the use of the internet in general and e-commerce in particular. It is focused on the view of business related activities. Based on an introduction to the infrastructure of the internet the course will analyze the major legal issues of five economically relevant sections :

• E-Commerce & Private Law
• Advertising for e-commerce
• Online shops and copyright law
• Domains
• Cross border e-commerce

The chapter on E-Commerce & Private Law will inter alia cover formation of contract, , standard terms and conditions, consumer protection and specific problems connected to internet auctions.

Advertising for e-commerce will take a look at rules of unfair competition, required imprint information, the ban on spaming, specific requirements for sales of pharmaceutical products via the internet and, of course, on ad-words. Further the liability under telemedia law, for hyperlinks and for user generated content will be an important issue.

The section on copyright law and online shops will focus on copyright restrictions for the presentation of content (including filesharing and p2p- markets) and will take a look on the protection of content and websites.

The section on domains will explain the technical basics, the structure of an URL and the system of allocation of Second-Level-Domains. It will focus on trademark law and unfair competition law restrictions to use a domain. It will also look at the possibilities to protect a domain as trademark. Finally the and legal consequences of infringement will be covered.

Learning outcomes and qualification goals:
The students are instructed to apply their knowledge of structures and rules to the field of e- commerce. They will be acquainted with the general legal rules and regulations for e-commerce. Most important they will learn how the general rules have to be adapted to suit this virtual environment. Leading cases will be discussed and demonstrate how the courts have adjusted the legal regime, overcome some uncertainties and filled the gaps. Students shall be enabled to audit the requirements for e-commerce projects and to solve legal problems which have resulted in the course of e-business. The class will learn argumentation and procedural strategies of legal challenge and defense in e-commerce cases. Students are invited to draft general terms of business, website imprints and cancellation policies in study groups.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
EU Fundamental Rights (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Examination achievement:
Written examination
Instructor(s):
Dr. Mateja Steinbrück-Platise
Date(s):
Friday  (weekly) 13.09.2024 – 25.10.2024 15:30 – 18:45 EO 169 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost
Description:
Contents:
The  European  Union  (EU)  possesses  strong  regulatory  powers,  the  use  of  which,  directly  or indirectly, affects private subjects within the EU Member States. Nevertheless, not until the late 1960’s did the European Court of Justice (CJEU) acknowledge fundamental rights to be general principles of the then European Economic Community (EEC)  law. And not until 2009 did a Charter of Fundamental Rights enter into force, which ranks equal to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The course aims to give an introduction to the sources and standards of human rights protection within the EU legal framework. Through the analysis of EU hard and soft law instruments, CJEU and member states’ case law, and doctrinal contributions the course will analyze the EU fundamental rights system in both its legal and political dimensions.
The course structure is threefold: the first part aims to introduce students to the genesis of fundamental rights law within the ECC/EU system, focusing on the role played by the CJEU, also in its dialogue with national courts; the second part addresses the internal dimension of the EU fundamental rights and focuses in particular on the origins, structure and impact of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The third part addresses the external dimension of the EU human rights system, in both its European and sticto sensu international dimensions. With regard to the first aspect particular attention is paid to the Council of Europe’s human rights system and to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), (e.g. also considering the imminent accession of the EU to the ECHR and its impact on both the EU and the ECHR systems). With regard to second aspect, the relationship between the EU fundamental rights and the International (e.g. UN) system is analyzed, particular consideration is finally given to the emerging role of the EU as a global promoter of democracy and human rights and to its possible paradoxical outcomes.

• Development of the protection of fundamental rights in the history of European integration;
• The role of the CJEU and its interaction with national courts;
• Legal sources of fundamental rights guaranteed by EU-law and their interpretation;
• The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: adoption, structure and impact;
• EU fundamental rights and the European Convention on Human Rights;
• EU fundamental rights in the larger Public International Law contexts;
• EU as a global actor: promoting democracy and human rights on a global scale;
• The future of fundamental rights in the EU: main challenges.

Learning outcomes and qualification goals:
The course intends to provide students with a deeper understanding of both the EU system of fundamental rights protection and its relationships with the national and international human rights systems.
Students will learn to solve and critically assess legal problems, developing analytical and practical skills, while acquiring relevant knowledge in the human rights area.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
International Civil and Commercial Litigation (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:
This course will examine all major aspects of cross-border litigation as the conventional and most important method of international dispute resolution between private parties. Primary emphasis is on the conduct of international litigation in EU Member States, but there will also be comparative treatment of other major jurisdictions (notably the UK and the U.S.).

After introducing the concept of international litigation and the main policy issues at stake, the course will comprehensively address the crucial procedural law questions lawyers have to deal with when bringing a cross-border civil or commercial dispute to a national court. These include: international jurisdiction (Which court is competent?), coordination between different jurisdictions (lis pendens, provisional measures), conduct of proceedings (service of documents, taking evidence abroad) as well as recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments.

Students who have completed the course will have developed a sound understanding of international procedural law that will enable them to successfully work in a litigation context, be it in the judiciary, a law firm or a legal department. The course is suited for exchange and graduate students (LL.M., M.C.B.L.) in law and related fields as well as for LL.B. students aiming to cover the relevant aspects of international procedural law required for taking the First German State Exam according to § 8 Abs. 2 Nr. 5 JAPrO.

The course will cover the following subjects:
•    Concept and practical relevance of international litigation
•    Advantages and disadvantages of international litigation
•    Sources of international procedural law
•    International jurisdiction
•    Coordination between different jurisdictions
•    Conduct of proceedings
•    Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments

Course materials: Required reading materials will be provided or made available electronically via the university library. Introductory and further readings (optional):
•    Fentiman, Richard: International Commercial Litigation, 2nd edition, Oxford 2015, Oxford University Press
•    Hartley, Trevor C.: International Commercial Litigation, 3rd edition, Cambridge 2020, Cambridge University Press
•    Junker, Abbo: Internationales Zivilprozessrecht, 5th edition, München 2020, C. H. Beck

Assessment: Class participation and take-home-exam
Instructor(s):
Dr. Torsten Andreas Kindt
Date(s):
Tuesday  (weekly) 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 15:30 – 17:00 B 243 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
International Criminal Law (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Online, live
Literature:
Required reading materials will be provided electronically.

Introductory Readings (optional):
  • Cassese, Antonio, ‘International Criminal Law’ (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2008)
  • Cryer, Robert, ‘An Introduction to International Criminal Law and Procedure’ (Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2010)
  • Schabas, William A., ‘The International Criminal Court: A Commentary on the Rome Statute’ (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2010)
  • Werle, Gerhard, ‘Principles of International Criminal Law’ (The Hague, Asser, 2005)
You don’t need to buy one of these textbooks since they are only intended to provide you with a first insight into the subject matter. Besides, all are available at Mannheim University Library.
Instructor(s):
Raphael Oidtmann
Date(s):
Friday  (weekly) 13.09.2024 – 06.12.2024 08:30 – 10:00 ZOOM-Lehre-041; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
One of the most significant developments both in international law and international relations throughout the last two decades has been the (re-)emergence of an international legal order based on a robust interpretation of the concept of international criminal justice. By establishing both international and hybrid criminal courts addressing international core crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, the international community has demonstrated an ever more growing commitment to end impunity for the most heinous crimes affecting mankind as a whole and to hold those bearing individual criminal responsibility personally accountable.

This course aims at providing students with a fundamental understanding of this increasingly important realm of public international law. Thus, in a first approach, an overview both of international criminal law’s theoretical foundation as well as its historical sources will be provided. Adjacently, focus will be given to the ad-hoc tribunals of the 1990s (such as the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) and most prominently to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the first permanent international organization addressing matters of international criminal justice.

Complementary to this institutional approach, the second part of the course will address material law aspects: Besides the abovementioned crimes as stipulated in the Rome Statute forming the International Criminal Court, attention will be given to further international crimes such as piracy or terrorism. Additionally, questions such as immunity from prosecution for heads of state or government, modes of liability, interdependencies between the national and international judicial sphere and notions of state sovereignty will be addressed throughout the course.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.
International Humanitarian Law / The law of armed conflict (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
8.0
Course suitable for:
Bachelor, Master
Language of instruction:
English
Attendance:
On-campus and online, live
Registration procedure:
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a body of rules that seeks to limit the effects of armed conflict. IHL protects those who are not participating in hostilities, and those who are no longer participating in hostilities. This body of law imposes limits on the methods and means of warfare. IHL forms part of public international law and is largely based on treaties and rules of customary international law. 
In this course the development as well as the basic concepts of IHL will be explored. Students will be introduced to the most important documents governing armed conflict, learn how to apply these and will consider the challenges posed to the application of IHL in armed conflicts. A large part of the course will focus on the new developments in IHL including the emergence of new forms of armed conflicts and the development and use of new technologies in armed conflict.

Assessment
Assessment for this course will consist of one presentation and one take-home exam.
Instructor(s):
Marelie Manders
Date(s):
Wednesday  (weekly) 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 15:30 – 17:00 EO 162 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost

Business Informatics and Mathematics in Business and Economics

Master

Data Science in Action (ENGAGE.EU Signature Course) (Lecture, English)
Course type:
Lecture
ECTS:
6.0
Course suitable for:
Language of instruction:
English
Credit hours 1:
2
Attendance:
Online, live & recorded
Recommended requirement:
Literature:
Recommended Papers from invited speakers
Examination achievement:
Written Essay
Instructor(s):
Prof. Dr. Heiner Stuckenschmidt
Date(s):
Thursday  (weekly) 12.09.2024 – 05.12.2024 12:00 – 13:30 ZOOM-Lehre-123; Virtuelles Gebäude
Description:
The Mannheim Center for Data Science (MCDS) offers a lecture series on “Data Science in Action” together with the European University ENGAGE.EU (Signature Course). Renowned researchers from the University of Mannheim and its partner universities Université Toulouse Capitole, Tilburg University, Hanken School of Economics, Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and  WU Vienna University of Economics and Business will provide insights into their data-based research. The speakers represent various disciplines, including business administration, computer science, political science, business education, media and communication studies, sociology, psychology and linguistics. The lecture series thus represents the relevance of data science in its entire breadth for science and society.
More information
1 Credit hours indicate the duration of a course which is offered weekly during one semester. One credit hour equals 45 minutes.

Claudius Werry

Claudius Werry (he/him)

ENGAGE.EU Local Work Package Coordinator Campus & Academic Affairs (WP2)
Working from home every Monday, Wednesday and Friday; available only via E-Mail on these days.
University of Mannheim
Division II – Student Affairs
International Office
L 1, 1 – Room 106
68161 Mannheim