Overview

Global Studies 440: Global Governance and Law provides the tools and concepts relevant to understanding how practices of governance function in contemporary societies and toward what ends. It overviews some of the central debates on global governance and international law, especially in regard to violence and the use of force, human rights, economic transactions, and the environment. A number of key questions are discussed in relation to these debates. What is governance for? Where does accountability lie? How does law function? Who is being governed? Who participates in governance? Students will gain a broad understanding of some of the issues and potentialities for governance and law in global politics. The course does not assume that students already have a background—in global governance and law, however, it provides a sophisticated introduction to some of the key concepts and how those concepts can be applied to contemporary practices.

Global Studies 440 provides the tools and concepts relevant to understanding how practices of governance function in contemporary societies and toward what ends. The course is divided into five parts. The first part is an introduction to the subject of global governance and law, to Michel Foucault's theory of governance and law, and to the perspectives of some of his critics. The second part of the course elaborates upon conceptions of law as governance, and the idea of sociology of law as governance. The third part covers global legal governance and the use of violence, and the relationship of the UN, and International Criminal Tribunals to the laws of war. The fourth part explores notions of humane governance, and assesses the challenges posed by sovereignty and security. The final part of the course explores contestations of global governance by global social movements, including women, labour and environmental movements. In Global Studies 440 students develop a sophisticated understanding of the intellectual terrain of governance and law in a globalized world.

Outline

Part I: The Politics and History of Global Governance and Law

Part II: Governing the Use of Force through Law

Part III: The Expansion of International Law and Global Governance

Part IV: Law, Governance, and Globalization

Evaluation

To receive credit for GLST 440, you must submit all the required course assignments and complete them to the satisfaction of your tutor. To receive credit for the course you must achieve an overall course and examination grade of “D” (50 percent) or better. The passing grade for the final examination is also a “D” (50 percent). The weighting of the assignments and exams are outlined below.

TME 1: Theory Paper	TME 2: Research Essay	Final exam	Total
20%	30%	50%	100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

O'Brien, Robert, Anne Marie Goetz, Jan Aart Scholte, and Marc Williams. 2000. Contesting global governance: Multilateral economic institutions and global social movements Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.

Reus-Smit, Christian, ed. 2004. The politics of international law. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.

Sands, Philippe. 2006. Lawless world. London: Penguin.

Other Materials

The course materials include a student manual, study guide, assignment manual, and a reading file.