Seminar program seminar 1.

MUNICIPAL LAW: the comparative approach (2 hrs)

1. Comparative municipal research.

2. Legal systems and municipal systems.

3. Theories of the local government.

4. The European Urban Charter (1992): purpose, philosophy and structure of the Charter.

Keywords:

Comparative legal research, municipal law, municipality, local government, local self-government, legal systems (families), Anglo-American legal system (family), Romano-Germanic legal system (family), religious legal system (family), municipal systems, Anglo-American municipal system, Romano-Germanic municipal system.

Questions:

1. Explain how the main principles of comparative legal studies could be used in the municipal law.

2. Name 2 groups of the theories of local self-government.

3. Work on your student’s portfolio.

Student’s portfolio – what is it?

You will need to present the Student’s Portfolio before the beginning of each seminar. It gives the professor a proof you’ve completed the necessary readings and ready to answer on the seminar.

You will need to present all chapters of the Student’s Portfolio for a credit.

In the other case, to get the credit you will have to answer 1 or 2 questions orally. The questions will be given by the professor from the list of the Review Seminar Questions.

Student’s Portfolio – chapter 1: Present the accurately and neat typed or written chapter in a single folder before the beginning of the seminar. 1. Name at least 7 theories of the local government and characterize each of them with 1-2 sentences. 2. The European Urban Charter (1992): select one of the individual chapters of the document (part 4) that is the most interesting for you and write a brief description of it (approx. 200- 300 words). You should choose between chapters 4.1. – 4.13.

Documents to be analysed:

1. The European Urban Charter (1992).

Seminar 2. The basics of the ukrainian Municipal law (2 hrs)

1. History of local self-government in Ukraine: an overview.

2. History of local self-government in Ukraine: Magdeburg law, Lithuanian statues, local government in Ukraine as the part of the Russian Empire (excluding Zaporiz'ka Sich) The professor will divide the group in a way, that 1/3 will study one of the listed countries. Please be sure you know which decision to analyze, or consult the head of the group.

3. Constitutional provisions about the local self-government.

4. Basic laws of Ukraine on the local self-government.

5. The Charter on the Participation of Young People in Municipal and Regional Life (1992), revised in 2003.

Keywords:

Constitutionalism, European Urban Charter, Kievan Rus, Lithuanian statutes, Magdeburg law, local councils of people’s deputies.

Questions:

1. Name the main periods of the development of local self-government in Ukraine.

2. Give the brief outlook of the Constitution’s of Ukraine chapter “Local self-government” and of the Law of Ukraine of 21.05.1997 ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine’.

3. Work on your student’s portfolio.

Student’s Portfolio – chapter 2: Present the accurately and neat typed or written chapter in a single folder before the beginning of the seminar. 1. Give the brief outlook of the appearance of the local government on the territory of Ukraine (1-5 lines). Write a broader report about one of the historical periods (approx. 300 words). The historical periods for the report are: Magdeburg law, Lithuanian statues, local government in Ukraine as the part of the Russian Empire (excluding Zaporiz’ska Sich). The professor will divide the group in a way, that 1/3 will study one of the listed countries. Please be sure you know which decision to analyze, or consult the head of the group. 2. Name 5 current problems of the local self-government. Just list them, 1 sentence for each problem. The European Urban Charter might be a helpful act to identify these problems. 3. Read the The Charter on the Participation of Young People in Municipal and Regional Life (1992), revised in 2003. Write a brief description of the document to reflect it main ideas (approx. 200- 300 words).

Documents to be analysed:

1. Constitution of Ukraine. Chapter XI. – World Wide Web. - http://www.mfa.gov.ua/data/upload/publication/mfa/en/159/constitutioneng2.doc

2. Law of Ukraine of 21.05.1997 ‘On Local Self-Government in Ukraine’ – to look through the chapters.

3. The Charter on the Participation of Young People in Municipal and Regional Life (1992), revised in 2003.