Legal Studies

The course critically reviews the prominent contemporary debates over the concepts of the essence and protection of human rights. It looks at the theory, practical determinations, and limitations of these debates. 

This course engages students with international affairs through the study of the legal frameworks which govern them, situating those frameworks within the material and cultural context of international politics. Focusing on controversial and significant issues in contemporary international politics, including recent examples of the use of force, international economic integration and the promotion and protection of human rights and the environment, students actively engage in these topics through key readings, role-plays, and question and answer sessions. Students study the structure and operation of the international legal order, having explored focused case studies including the war on terror, the international legal prohibition against torture, and the use of force in Iraq, Libya, and Syria.

This course examines the basic theoretical knowledge of the legal norms and ethical norms of news dissemination, carries out research on important legal and ethical issues that have emerged in the current practice of news communication in China through a combination of theories and case studies, helps students to learn, use, and obey news laws and ethics, so that they can not only conform to the characteristics of the Internet era, but also use relevant theoretical knowledge to analyze practical problems. Through the course, students will be trained and improve their legal literacy; maintain the right of news dissemination; fulfill the obligation of news dissemination; and observe the professional ethics of journalism.

This course includes the following topics: legal basis and legal thinking; overview of Chinese and foreign news communication laws and regulations; news communication activities and national security; news communication activities and social order; administrative management of news communication; news infringement; news communication activities and reputation protection; news communication activities and privacy protection; advertising message release and management; overview of news ethics; internet rumors and internet governance in China; internet governance and freedom of expression; internet and copyright infringement; Internet and personal information rights protection; Internet industry innovation and compliance research; financial information disclosure misrepresentation and insider trading, etc. ; maintain the authenticity of news; "hidden interviews"; prohibit news sensation, hype, and vulgarity; supervision of public opinion and "news trials"; prohibit "paid news", "paid negligence" and news blackmail.

The course introduces the principles of international law with a focus on basic theory of the contemporary international legal system including the relation between international and domestic laws, international legal personality, territorial sovereignty, law of sea, and international organization. The course requires prior- knowledge of the law and politics. It explores the sources of international law and its general principles, jurisdictions, subjects, and objects, as well as the laws of treaty, diplomatic relation, international organization, state responsibility, and peaceful settlement of international disputes. The course includes several international moot courts.