Course co-directors: Marta Mochulska, Ivan Franko University of Lviv, and Nazarii Stetsyk, University of Vienna
The course “Rule of Law Ideals: Legal Reforms in Ukraine amidst War and Peace” explores the challenges and developments in upholding the rule of law in Ukraine under the pressures of war and the future post-war recovery. It examines ongoing legal reforms, focusing on how institutions and legal frameworks adapt to protect rule of law ideals. Students will analyze the impact of war on human rights protections and the broader implications for the rule of law principles in Ukraine and beyond.
The course will consist of three interrelated thematic modules. The first module will cover the basic conceptual foundations of the rule of law and its European standards. The next module will focus on ongoing legal reforms in Ukraine, including judicial reform, improvements in the functioning of anti-corruption bodies, and the modernization of higher legal education. Emphasis will be placed on the context of Ukraine’s intensive European integration and the limitations imposed by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The final module will address the legal aspects of war-related negotiations, particularly regarding limitations and admissible constitutional and legislative changes in this context.