Legal Studies

The course introduces the normative structure and theoretical foundations of Public International Law (PIL), alongside its institutional and procedural aspects. It also looks at the interplay between Public International Law and domestic legal systems, and between Public International Law and international relations, legal philosophy, and political science. A particular focus of the course is the relevance of Public International Law to the issues and challenges confronting the State of Israel. The course discusses core issues in Public International Law and their significance to the State of Israel, in light and based upon the unique needs and history of Israel.

This undergraduate research course provides opportunities to conduct independent research under the supervision of a faculty member at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Participants are expected to devote approximately 20 hours per week to their research project, with the exact time commitment determined in consultation with the faculty supervisor. The course requires the completion of an original research paper. It develops research methods, analytical thinking, academic writing, and the ability to communicate research findings effectively through scholarly papers and reports. As an independent research program, the course emphasizes initiative, self-directed learning, and regular consultation with the faculty supervisor throughout the research process.

This course is an introduction to the field of public international law. The course covers major topics in this field, including sources of international law (treaties and customary international law); subjects (States and international organizations); the law of State responsibility; the prohibition on the use of force; and international dispute settlement. The course emphasizes learning how to read and understand international law instruments, such as states multilateral treaties and judgments of the International Court of Justice. The course discusses topics including sources and subjects of international law, state responsibility, prohibition on the use of force, jurisdiction, immunities, international dispute settlement, and international human rights law.

In this course course, students learn to appreciate the interaction between self-regulation and statutory regulation; get a feel of how Rule of Law is different from specific laws; learn about the legislative process and how government is held accountable; explore how the judiciary shapes law through interpretation, oversight, and review, and discuss pragmatic and political concerns that animate policy-making.

The course provides students with a broad picture on the English law of contract. This course particularly focuses on leading cases of this area. However, main structure of law and major concepts are also discussed. Lecture topics include the negotiations for a contract; formation of the contract; form, consideration and intention; vitiating factors; fidning the terms of the contract; controlling the content; the doctrine of privity and the reform; change of circumstances; and remedies for breach of contract. Each student is expected to read some cases before each class begins and be ready to join the discussions.

This course is transdisciplinary in its framing and combines various approaches and scholarship from critical security studies, surveillance studies, sociology of technology, data sciences, human rights, and international law. The course develops a reflexive understanding of the main categories at work when using geopolitics, security and securitization, mass surveillance, and privacy rights, by joining different experiences too often fragmented by disciplinary knowledge. It analyzes the scripts they produce in order to build a transdisciplinary understanding reflecting the debates (or lack thereof) concerning digital spaces.