Law and Global Society: Internet, Migration and Climate Change

Globalisation impacts the way we live. We meet different people, learn about diverse cultures, and internet facilitates world-wide communication and information exchange. Law traditionally focuses on nation states, but topics like migration, internet, climate, and terrorism do not stop at the border. Quite the contrary. The objective of this minor is to become aware of the fact that many societal issues ask for a transboundary approach to law.
The minor explores the role of law in defining and resolving social issues concerning the globalisation of societies. Central topics are migration (transnational movement), internet (transnational communications) and climate change (transnational action).
This minor offers students insight in questions, such as:
  • Why transnational issues are not suited for unilateral, national actions
  • What states can do within international law (such as European Union law)
  • The ways in which states are currently responding to these issues
  • The criticism of the current actions and regulations
  • Future perspectives
After completing this minor, the student has knowledge of the core of the legislation concerning the three topics, has gained insight in the most important critique and analysis of this legislation (from a legal, policy-orientated, sociological, anthropological and/or philosophical perspective), and is capable of critically judging proposed changes. For each of the topics the student knows which actors play a role in making rules and policy, how states work together (or not), the consequences of this (lack of) cooperation and the future perspective for transnational regulations in migrations, climate change and internet. Knowledge of these ‘case studies’ and the theory involved also enables student to independently reflect on other areas of transnational problems, such as security.