Department of Theory of Law and Philosophy of Law
The Department of Theory of Law and Philosophy of Law (hereinafter also referred to as "the Department") currently guarantees and provides education in the field of theoretical sciences of the state and law, especially in the field of theory and philosophy of law, sociology of law, legal methodology, and legal ethics. Within the pedagogical process, the Department is primarily devoted to the teaching of subjects of a propedeutic nature, the mastery of which is of fundamental importance for further progress in legal studies. The primary aim is to provide students with detailed knowledge of legal theory in a comprehensive and effective manner, to introduce them to fundamental theoretical concepts, legal concepts, and to provide them with a basic "map" in legal thinking, which will later be followed up by other branches of positive law. At the same time, the teaching also aims to introduce law students to different modes of legal and political thought that are closely related to legal scholarship. For this reason, law students are also introduced to the basic premises of the relationship between law, ethics, politics; freedom, equality, responsibility, and justice; as well as to the diverse styles of thought and modes of argumentation that have occurred in the history of legal and political thought. Thus, the efforts of the members of the Department are directed towards cultivating the thinking of the students of the Faculty of Law in Bratislava, as well as deepening their understanding of the diversity of thought in the development of legal, political, and social philosophy.
For this reason, the current composition of the Department is quite diverse in profile, and it is by no means "only" a legal environment. The aim is to create a group of scholars and university teachers who will collectively connect many scholarly disciplines and form a truly interdisciplinary professional environment. Therefore, it is not surprising that, in addition to experts in the theory of law and the state, the Department also includes experts in the disciplines of philosophy, ethics, logic, psychology, history, political science, art, and even theology. It is also a diverse composition of the Department that reflects today's need for an interdisciplinary approach in the exploration of many new topics related to law.
The current staff composition of the Department consists of:
- four professors;
- four associate professors;
- four assistant professors;
- two internal PhD students.
The pedagogical activity of the Department at the bachelor study level in the basic study programme "Law" is focused on teaching the compulsory subjects Theory of Law I, Theory of Law II (Current Issues in the Theory of Law) and Legal and Political Philosophy. In addition, it offers students other interdisciplinary electives (Law in Film; Logic for Lawyers; Foundations of the Sociology of Law; Law and the Influence of the Judeo-Christian Tradition; Twentieth Century Theories of Justice; Game Theory and the Problem of Decision-Making; and Associational Law).
In the Master's degree programme "Law", the Department provides teaching of a series of compulsory courses (Argumentation in Law and Interpretation of Law; Legal Ethics, Philosophy of Law or Logical Semantics and Methodological Propaedeutics for Lawyers), as well as elective (voluntarly) courses (such as Sociological-Legal Research or Law and Literature).
The Department is also authorized to conduct the rigorosum procedure, on the basis of which candidates are awarded the title of "Doctor of Law" (JUDr., originally "juris utriusque doctor", i.e., doctor of both laws) after successfully passing the examination.
In addition to the core study programme "Law", both full-time and part-time, the Department is currently involved in the provision of teaching in other study programmes. In cooperation with the Faculty of National Economy of the University of Economics in Bratislava, the Bachelor's degree programme "Economics and Law", within which the Department provides teaching of the subject "Theory of Law". In the Master's degree programme "Law and Economics" the Department co-teaches the subject "Ethics, Corruption, and Transparency". At the same time, the Department also participates in the teaching of the study programme "Management and Law", which is implemented in cooperation with the Faculty of Management of the Comenius University in Bratislava and taught in English, within which the Department provides teaching of the subjects "Theory of Law I." and in cooperation with the Department of International Law and International Relations also the course "Theory of Law II (Basics of Political Science and International Law)".
The members of the Department as one of the important workplaces of the faculty by the results of their scientific activity have fulfilled the criteria for the granting of the authorization to carry out pedagogical activity also in the third stage of higher education in the doctoral study programme "Theory and History of State and Law" (in cooperation with the Department of Legal History and Legal Comparative Studies). "Methodology of Qualitative Legal Research", "Human Rights in the Case Law of the ECtHR", "Legal Science (Theory, System, Methodology) 1", "Legal Science (Theory, System, Methodology) 2", "History of Legal Thought", "Philosophy of Law in the 20th Century" and "Law (Legal System, Legal Science) and the Challenges of the 21st Century". Doctoral students are subsequently awarded the scientific rank of "PhD." after completing their studies, elaborating, and successfully defending their doctoral dissertation. ("philosophiae doctor").
As part of the Faculty of Law of Comenius University, in cooperation with other departments, the Department has also fulfilled the requirements for conducting habilitation proceedings and proceedings for appointment as a professor in the field of 'Theory and History of State and Law'.
At the same time, the Centre for Cognitive Studies was established within the Department in 2021. The Department carries out its scientific, educational, and other selected activities in the field of cognitive sciences through the Centre. It is a research unit that is staffed by a team of faculty and doctoral students of the Department and their collaborators, is dedicated to interdisciplinary research in the field of cognitive sciences, and provides institutional support for research projects undertaken by its members. The aim of the Centre is to create a platform for cognitive science research in the humanities and social sciences, interdisciplinary publications, teaching activities, scientific and popularization seminars, and other related activities.
The Head of the Department:
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudolf Kasinec, PhD.
The Deputy Head of Department:
- Mgr. Olexij M. Meteňkanyč, PhD.
Contact:
- tel.: 02/592 44 675
- e-mail: ktpsvflaw.uniba.sk
- offices: 609NB, 611NB - 613NB, 615NB
- address:
Department of Theory of Law and Philosophy of Law
Comenius University Bratislava, Faculty of Law<output>Šafárikovo námestie č. 6, P. O. BOX 313Šafárikovo námestie č. 6
810 00 Bratislava</output>
P. O. BOX 313
810 00 Bratislava