The aim of the course is to enhance students' understanding of law by placing it in its theoretical, philosophical and sociological contexts.
Last update: Mgr. Miroslav Sojka (02.04.2019)
Course Aims
The aim of the course is to enhance students' understanding of law by placing it in its theoretical, philosophical and
sociological contexts.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
On completion of the course, students will demonstrate an ability to state, analyse and evaluate the following:
· basic relations between law, justice and rights
· theories of natural law and human rights
· theories of legal system and legal order
· basic approaches in the sociology of law
In addition, students will demonstrate an ability to
· think and argue about legal concepts, topics and issues
· demonstrate skills of selecting relevant ideas, balancing and evaluating them
· present concepts and arguments both orally and in written form coherently and effectively
Syllabus -
Last update: Ing. Svatava Marešová (19.10.2022)
Lecture 1: Introduction: Anarchy or Obligation? Raz, The Authority of Law (Oxford 1979), Ch 12.
Lecture 2: Law as a Social Fact
Hart, The Concept of Law , chapters 5 - 6.
Lecture 3: Law & Morality
Dworkin, Taking Rights Seriously (London 1977), ch. 2 (‘Model of Rules I’). Raz, Authority, Law, and Morality, Chapter 10 in Ethics in the Public Domain.
Lecture 4: Law and Rights Joseph Raz, The Morality of Freedom, Ch: 7 The Nature of Rights.
Lecture 5: Reading Week
Lecture 6: Liberty and Justice John Gray, Hayek on Liberty, Chapter 3 “The Law of Liberty,” pp 56 - 78 Rawls, A Theory of Justice (Cambridge, Mass. 1971), sections 2 - 4, 6 - 11
Lecture 7: Solidarity and the Limitations of Liberalism Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy, Chapter 6 Michael J. Sandel, “The Procedural Republic and the Unencumbered Self”, Political Theory, 1984: 12, pp. 81- 96 .
Lecture 8: Liberalism and Its Discontents Bielefeldt, ‘Carl Schmitt’s Critique of Liberalism’ in Dyzenhaus (ed) pp. 23 - 36.
Lecture 9: Global Justice & Human Rights Tom Nagel, The Problem of Global Justice
Lecture 10: Discussion
Course Goals / Learning Outcomes:
On completion of the course, students will demonstrate an ability to state, analyse and evaluate the following:
· basic relations between law, justice and rights · theories of natural law and human rights · theories of legal system and legal order · basic approaches in the sociology of law
In addition, students will demonstrate an ability to
· think and argue about legal concepts, topics and issues · demonstrate skills of selecting relevant ideas, balancing and evaluating them · present concepts and arguments both orally and in written form coherently and effectively
Final Examination:
Essay or oral examination
Means of communication:
MS Teams
Last update: Mgr. Miroslav Sojka (02.04.2019)
Introduction: Anarchy or Obligation?
Raz, The Authority of Law (Oxford 1979), Ch 12.
Law as a Social Fact
Hart, The Concept of Law , chapters 5 - 6.
Law & Morality
Dworkin, Taking Rights Seriously (London 1977), ch. 2 (‘Model of Rules I’).
Raz, Authority, Law, and Morality, Chapter 10 in Ethics in the Public Domain.
Law and Rights
Joseph Raz, The Morality of Freedom, Ch: 7 The Nature of Rights.
Liberty and Justice
John Gray, Hayek on Liberty, Chapter 3 “The Law of Liberty,” pp 56 - 78
Rawls, A Theory of Justice (Cambridge, Mass. 1971), sections 2 - 4, 6 - 11
Solidarity and the Limitations of Liberalism
Kymlicka, Contemporary Political Philosophy, Chapter 6
Michael J. Sandel, “The Procedural Republic and the Unencumbered Self”, Political Theory, 1984: 12, pp. 81- 96 .
Liberalism and Its Discontents
Bielefeldt, ‘Carl Schmitt’s Critique of Liberalism’ in Dyzenhaus (ed) pp. 23 - 36.
Global Justice & Human Rights
Tom Nagel, The Problem of Global Justice
Requisites for virtual mobility
Last update: JUDr. David Kohout, Ph.D. (30.06.2022)