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!
Bachelor
- 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.
- Will be announced and discussed in detail during the seminar.
- Will be announced and discussed in detail during the seminar.
- Term paper („Hausarbeit“)
Tuesday (weekly) | 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-001; Virtuelles Gebäude |
- 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
Thursday (weekly) | 05.09.2024 – 05.12.2024 | 13:45 – 15:15 | ZOOM-Lehre-028; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Bachelor
Thursday (weekly) | 05.09.2024 – 05.12.2024 | 13:45 – 15:15 | SO 115 Seminarraum; Schloss Schneckenhof Ost |
Friday (block date) | 22.11.2024 | 10:00 – 17:00 | EO 382 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
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 |
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.
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
Tuesday (weekly) | 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | O 145 Heinrich Vetter Hörsaal; Schloss Ostflügel |
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.
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
Wednesday (weekly) | 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 | 17:15 – 18:45 | EO 159 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
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.
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
⚠ Monday (weekly) | 02.09.2024 – 02.12.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | EO 382 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
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.
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
Wednesday (weekly) | 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 | 15:30 – 17:00 | EO 159 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
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.
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
“(Re)Constructing Memory: Education, Identity, and Conflict” by Bellino, Michelle J; Williams, James H (2017)
“Globalisation, Ideology and Politics of Education Reforms” by Zajda, Joseph I. (2015)
“Negotiating Ethnic Diversity and National Identity in History Education : International and Comparative Perspectives” by Ting, Helen Mu Hung; Cajani, Luigi Cham (2023)
“Disputed memory : emotions and memory politics in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe” by Sindbæk Andersen, Tea; Törnquist-Plewa, Barbara (2016)
“Memory Politics, Identity and Conflict : Historical Memory as a Variable” by Wang, Zheng (2018)
“War and Remembrance : World War II and the Holocaust in the Memory Politics of Post-Socialist Europe” by Srodecki, Paul; Kozlova, Daria (2023)
“Memory crash : the politics of history in and around Ukraine, 1980s-2010s” by Kasʹjanov, Heorhij Volodymyrovyč (2022)
“Politics of Memory and Democratization” by Brito (2001)
“Education for Sustaining Peace through Historical Memory” by Schultze-Kraft, Markus (2022)
“Life Writing and Politics of Memory in Eastern Europe” by Mitroiu, Simona (2015)
“The politics of memory in post-authoritarian transitions. Volume one,: Case studies” by Marszałek-Kawa, Joanna (2017)
“The Reconstruction of Nations: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, 1569–1999” by Timothy Snyder (2003)
“The End of History and the Last Man” by Francis Fukuyama (1992)
“The Power of the powerless : citizens against the state in central-eastern Europe” by Havel, Václav ; Keane, John ; Lukes, Steven (2015)
“Remembering the Cold War : global contest and national stories” by Lowe, David ; Joel, Tony (2013)
“Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945” by Tony Judt (2005)
“Toward Perpetual Peace” by Immanuel Kant (1795)
“War and Memory in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus” by Fedor, Julie; Kangaspuro, Markku; Lassila, Jussi; Zhurzhenko, Tatiana (2017)
“The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine” by Serhii Plokhy (2015)
“From “Memory Wars” to a Common Future: Overcoming Polarisation in Ukraine” (2020)
“Politics of the Past: The Use and Abuse of History” edited by Hannes Swoboda and Jan Marinus Wiersma (2009)
Friday (weekly) | 06.09.2024 – 06.12.2024 | 13:45 – 15:15 | EO 157 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
This course “Politics of Memory: Evolution of Ukrainian History Education” offers a dynamic blend of historical analysis, cultural exploration, and critical reflection, providing a comprehensive understanding of how memory politics shape our understanding of the past. Enrich your academic experience with an interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond traditional boundaries, fostering a holistic perspective on Ukrainian culture, politics, and identity.
This unique course delves into the intricacies of memory politics by examining the fascinating evolution of history education in Ukraine since its independence in 1991.
Key learning objectives include understanding the profound impact of memory politics on historical narratives, gaining insights into Ukraine's historical transitions, investigating the role of educational policies in shaping history education and exploring the cultural dimensions influencing the portrayal of historical events.
Students will be engaged in lively discussions on current debates and controversies in Ukrainian history education, drawing from diverse global contexts. Students will be interacting with guest speakers, and experts in the field, and develop essential research skills through in-depth analyses, encouraging critical thinking and collaborative exploration.
Immerse into the dynamic interplay between politics, memory, and education as we navigate the diverse landscapes of historical narratives.
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
Wednesday (weekly) | 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 | 17:15 – 18:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-101; Virtuelles Gebäude |
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 incoming. phil.uni-mannheim.de
Tuesday (weekly) | 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | EO 154 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
Tuesday (single date) | 17.09.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-039; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Friday (single date) | 04.10.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-040; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Monday (single date) | 07.10.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | SO 115 Seminarraum; Schloss Schneckenhof Ost |
Friday (single date) | 18.10.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-039; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Wednesday (single date) | 13.11.2024 | 12:00 – 13:30 | SO 115 Seminarraum; Schloss Schneckenhof Ost |
In this seminar, students will be acquainted with the development of, as well as contemporary trends, in rhetorics in Environmental Humanities. We will explore key ideas like Natureculture, the Anthropocene, more-than-human, and climate justice, as well as narratives in mourning, caring, and co-existing. These ideas examine the human as a collective, but also as entangled individuals, to critically reflect on how relationship(s) with the nonhuman others and the environment (the ‘natural’ as well as the ‘artificial’) are made: represented, written, managed, contemplated, experienced.
Reading materials include academic articles, as well as semi-academic and journalistic writings. For interested students, there are also optional video and podcast suggestions to complement some of the sessions. Students from all disciplinary backgrounds are welcome. The English word seminar derived from the Latin word sēminārium meaning ‘seed plot’ (Barnett 2024); Students are expected to actively participate in class and develop ideas along with curiosity and respect, so we can ‘plant knowledge’ together. Coursework includes term paper, participation and presentation. ‘Participation’ means overall participation in discussion as well as being a ‘discussion leader’. Students will serve as ‘discussion leader’ in each session for one reading material (1 student as discussion leader for 1 reading per semester). The discussion leader is to prepare a 5–10 minutes oral summary of the reading, and to prepare at least 3 questions and 3 key quotations for class discussion.
Successful attendance is met with at least 80% attendance of all course sessions. Life happens; If for any reason you cannot fulfil this requirement, please reach out to discuss alternatives.
Monday (weekly) | 02.09.2024 – 02.12.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-146; Virtuelles Gebäude |
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.
Master
Monday (weekly) | 02.09.2024 – 21.10.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | ZOOM-Lehre-136; Virtuelles Gebäude |
- 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.
Bachelor
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
Tuesday (weekly) | 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 | 15:30 – 17:00 | B 243 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B |
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)
Friday (weekly) | 13.09.2024 – 06.12.2024 | 08:30 – 10:00 | ZOOM-Lehre-041; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Tuesday (single date) | 15.10.2024 | 08:30 – 10:00 | ZOOM-Lehre-026; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Tuesday (single date) | 22.10.2024 | 08:30 – 10:00 | ZOOM-Lehre-064; Virtuelles Gebäude |
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.
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.
Wednesday (weekly) | 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 | 15:30 – 17:00 | EO 162 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
Wednesday (single date) | 20.11.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | O 142 Engelhorn Hörsaal; Schloss Ostflügel |
Master
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.Tuesday (weekly) | 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 | 12:00 – 13:30 | EO 150 AbsolventUM Hörsaal; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
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
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.
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.
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 |
Monday (single date) | 16.12.2024 | 08:45 – 11:45 | W 114 Seminarraum; Schloss Westflügel |
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.
Friday (weekly) | 13.09.2024 – 25.10.2024 | 15:30 – 18:45 | EO 169 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
Monday (single date) | 09.12.2024 | 14:45 – 18:15 | W 114 Seminarraum; Schloss Westflügel |
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/
• 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.
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
Tuesday (weekly) | 03.09.2024 – 03.12.2024 | 15:30 – 17:00 | B 243 Hörsaal; A 5, 6 Bauteil B |
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)
Friday (weekly) | 13.09.2024 – 06.12.2024 | 08:30 – 10:00 | ZOOM-Lehre-041; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Tuesday (single date) | 15.10.2024 | 08:30 – 10:00 | ZOOM-Lehre-026; Virtuelles Gebäude |
Tuesday (single date) | 22.10.2024 | 08:30 – 10:00 | ZOOM-Lehre-064; Virtuelles Gebäude |
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.
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.
Wednesday (weekly) | 04.09.2024 – 04.12.2024 | 15:30 – 17:00 | EO 162 Seminarraum; Schloss Ehrenhof Ost |
Wednesday (single date) | 20.11.2024 | 10:15 – 11:45 | O 142 Engelhorn Hörsaal; Schloss Ostflügel |
Master
Thursday (weekly) | 12.09.2024 – 05.12.2024 | 12:00 – 13:30 | ZOOM-Lehre-123; Virtuelles Gebäude |