| Unit name | Administrative Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0001 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit deals generally with administrative decision-making and its control. The emphasis throughout is on theoretical understanding of the contribution that law does and should make to the regulation of the modern state, rather than on detailed technical knowledge. Themes addressed include: What is the purpose of administrative law - to protect the individual against unwarranted state interference or to facilitate effective and legitimate action in the public interest? To what extent can and should we draw systematic distinctions between state and private action for legal purposes? - a topic of particular importance in the light of policies of privatisation and public sector reform pursued in the 1980s and 1990s. What problems are encountered in attempting to subject administrative decision-making to legal control and how might we overcome these problems? To what extent should we attempt to control administrative discretion and what different techniques are available to achieve that control?
