Duration
24h SEM
Number of credits
Lecturer
Substitute(s)
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The course will be given every other year: it will be taught in the 2024-2025 academic year, but not in the 2025-2026 academic year.
The course is organised in the form of five 3-hour seminars. The first seminar will take place on Friday 4 October 2024. Before these five seminars, an information session will be held on Friday 20 September at 4.30 pm in room A2 2/5 [Liège centre - bât. 20-Août].
Introductory comment:
Students wishing to follow this course may - but are not obliged to - send an e-mail expressing their potential interest directly to the secretariat of the Centre de droit public (s.brichet@uliege.be ) or to one of the course substitutes ; By sending such an e-mail (which they may revoke) they are assured of being kept informed of the precise arrangements for the course.
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The aim of this course is to introduce students to important texts that have left their mark on public law and the theory of the State. The various texts and discourses will be structured around a central topic. Each seminar will deal with a sub-topic directly related to the main one.
The central theme for the 2022-2023 academic year was 'War and Peace: The Use of Armed Force in Public Law'.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, the topic will be 'Making Society: The State and Diversity'.
It will comprise four sub-themes:
I. Federalism. Institutionalising diversity
II. Seceding. When diversity goes with separation
III. Communities, populations, ethnic groups. When some citizens are more equal than others
IV. After division, reconciliation?
The discourses and authors addressed are from diverse backgrounds on purpose. The following authors may be cited as examples: Mahatma Gandhi, Charles de Gaulle, Victor Hugo, René Levesque, Abraham Lincoln, Desmond Tutu and Booker T. Washington.
It should be noted that the ex cathedra course, the oral presentations and the written reports are given in French ; however, the reading list can include texts either in French or English.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The competencies assessed will be as follows:
- Understanding the content, context and issues of the texts submitted for analysis
- The capacity for synthesis, essentialization and critical thinking
- Students' speaking skills during presentations
- Writing skills in short written reports
- Involvement in the course through debates and Q&A.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
The course will be organised during the first semester. It unfolds over four classes preceded by an introductory session on discourse analysis methodology (ex cathedra lecture).
The classes last 3 hours and are organised as follows: presentations by small groups of students on each discourse (they will be submitted at the end of the previous seminar), followed by a critical debate moderated by the teaching staff or by an external guest.
The aim is to analyse the speeches through a descriptive, analytical and interpretative lens, considering the historical, political and legal context as well as the legal issues at stake.
Discourse analysis will be based on the following criteria:
1 The author
Who is the author? What is his or her background? In which capacity do they address the topic ? Why are they entitled to discuss the topic? What political or doctrinal strands are they connected to? Is there a difference between the author and the person delivering the speech?
2 Historical and ideological context
What is the cultural, social or political context in which the author delivered the speech ? What is the historical context of the speech ?
3 The reasons for the speech and the author's intention
What was the aim of the author of the speech (or of the speaker) ? What is the importance of the occasion on which the speech was given?
4 Description of the speech
What is the main idea behind the text? What is the text about ? What are the underlying reasons on which the text rests? What are its consequences? What arguments do the author propose to support his or her ideas?
At this stage, we advise that you present a summary of the author's drafting plan.
5 Reception of the speech
Who are the (direct and indirect) audience that the speech targets ? How was the speech disseminated? Did the speech address a wider audience than initially planned? Were author's contemporaries familiar with the text? Why is it a major text?
6 Analysis and interpretation of the speech in the light of the student's knowledge (political theories, legal and historical knowledge).
What conclusions can be drawn from this text? How does the text fit into its epoch. Does the text challenge the main assumptions of its time? What contribution does it make to political or legal theory? What are its more profound stakes? What can we learn from this text in the light of our current legal and theoretical knowledge?
6 Critical debate
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- MyULiège
Further information:
The texts are spread before each seminar.
Continuous assessment
Further information:
The students are assessed on an ongoing basis.
More specifically, this assessment is based on the students' oral presentations and their involvement during the classes.
Beside oral presentations, we expect that the students write a handout (maximum two A4 pages) and send a PowerPoint presentation to the organisors before each seminar. They will also be taken into account for students' assessment.
The assessment will be based on the above-mentioned learning oucomes
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
There will be four classes (1 to 4) and a preliminary class dedicated to methodology (session 0).
Session 0 is taking place on Friday 4 October 2024 at 4.30 pm in room A2 2/5 [Liège centre - bât. 20-Août].
An information session is taking place on Friday 20 September at 4.30 pm in room A2 2/5 [Liège centre - bât. 20-Août].
Contacts
Professor:
Christian Behrendt, professor.
Substitutes for the academic year 2024-2025:
Ms Sofia VANDENBOSCH, visiting professor, PhD in law, former assistant at the University of Liège (sofia.vandenbosch@uclouvain.be).
Mr Xavier MINY, lecturer, auditor at the Council of State, former assistant at the University of Liège (xavier.miny@uliege.be).
The teaching staff is available to provide students with any additional information they may require and can help them with their documentary research and the preparation of their notes and presentations if needed.