Current Issues

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/R_Currissues

Course Objective

To learn to contextualise news about global issues within relevant international and/or European legal frameworks and scholarly debates;To practice writing a research paper on a current issue within the scope of the minor;To practice peer review;To learn to cooperate with a fellow student;

Course Content

The course is part of the minor Law and Global Justice. This course introduces students to selected topics within the scope of the minor which are of particular current importance or interest. Classes are interactive, involving some lectures, but also discussions and exercises. The aim is to help students understand the kinds of law and policy problems which are important at European and International level, and to critically evaluate the responses to these. This prepares the students for advanced courses at masters level, where they may engage with these problems in more detail. This course invites students to think critically and apply a combination of legal, social and historical perspectives and it develops both writing and oral skills. Previous current issue topic areas include: family reunification policies; space law; climate engineering and climate litigation; integration policies; state surveillance; selling citizenship; fertility tourism and migrant smuggling. Students will have to read and analyse academic literature and engage in active discussion of current issues, as well as formulating problems and questions in a short essay and/or presentations. Oral and writing analytic abilities are therefore the major skills advanced in this course.

Teaching Methods

Interactive (guest-) lectures and seminars, in which discussion and problem-solving are involved; andStudent conference, during which students present their short paper, moot court or debate.

Method of Assessment

written exam, consisting of one essay question;participation in the course, consisting of the submission of mini-podcast on one of the topics of the course.

Literature

Preliminary reading lists will be announced on Canvas for a range of current topics.

Target Audience

The course is part of the minor Law and Global Society. Apart from regular students, the course is also available for:Students from other universities/facultiesExchange studentsContractor (students who pay for one course)

Recommended background knowledge

Exchange students
- basics of EU law and integration, good command of English.