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Comparative Family Law (M3123)

15 credits, Level 6

Spring teaching

The module provides you with a critical understanding of the key debates and literature in the field of comparative analysis of family law. It locates comparative family law within broader comparative legal studies discourse. It is informed by the view that comparative analysis of legal developments concerning relationships within the family is an invaluable subject matter of academic enquiry, legal practice and public policy.

The module will start by introducing you to some theoretical issues and debates within comparative legal studies as found in and applied to family relations. The topics covered will include:

• debates about legal transplants
• legal pluralism
• interdisciplinarity and mixed legal systems.

These theoretical debates will then be linked to key topics concerning the nature, dynamics, developments and dissolution of family relationships (including family structures, adult relationships, divorce and dissolution, parenting, family dispute resolution, surrogacy).

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 22 hours of contact time and about 128 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.