Brief Course Description
1. Course Title:
Political and Legal Theories
2. Language of Instruction:
Vietnamese
3. Course Code:
LAW511172
4. Credits:
2
5. Course Objectives:
The course is designed to provide learners with knowledge about the emergence of political–legal theories developed by thinkers across different historical periods, including antiquity, the Middle Ages, the modern era, and the contemporary age. It helps learners form a worldview and methodological approach in the field of legal science through the study of political and legal theories.
Learners are expected to apply these theories and ideas about the state and law to understand and analyze current legal phenomena and their underlying nature. They will also be able to compare and evaluate the strengths and limitations of different theories, thereby drawing valuable lessons and experiences.
6. Brief Description of Course Content:
This course is a foundational component of the undergraduate law program, designed to help students develop theoretical reasoning and conceptual frameworks for understanding the nature of state power, law, and the organizational and operational models of the rule-of-law state.
It provides systematic knowledge of major political and legal theories across historical periods and intellectual traditions (liberalism, conservatism, socialism, Marxism, constitutionalism, legal positivism, natural law, legal realism, etc.), thereby clarifying how these theories shape conceptions of the state, constitution, human rights, democracy, justice, and the limits of public power.
In terms of role and position, the course functions as a “conceptual framework” for approaching specialized law subjects with a solid theoretical foundation, enabling students to compare, critique, and evaluate policies and institutional designs. It is closely connected with introductory courses in legal studies and constitutional law, and serves as a basis for effectively studying Administrative Law, Criminal Law, Civil Law, and other advanced subjects.