Civil Dispute Resolution Methods

Module code: LW7006

The aim of this module is to enable you to obtain a critical understanding of the core principles underpinning the various dispute resolution (DR) methods. Hence, this course will cover the mainstream adjudicative and consensual DR methods, i.e. court adjudication, arbitration, negotiation and mediation. You will develop an analytical level of understanding of the different types of DR methods and the circumstances required for making these processes appropriate for resolving civil disputes. 

The focus on civil disputes comprises the study of formal and informal DR methods employed in the resolution of private controversies, thus excluding criminal disputes. The objective of this module is firstly to familiarise you with the general features of DR methods, their interactions and the law regulating these methods. Secondly, you are expected to develop your skills in legal research and writing while engaging with the academic literature in the field of DR. The module  will cover both legal and jurisprudential materials and associated materials on dispute resolution, many of which derive from other social sciences such as sociology, anthropology and economics. Thirdly, you will be expected to reflect critically on the tension between informal and State (i.e. formal) dispute resolution and the extensive regulation of such methods.