Legal Systems, Cultures and Ideas Summative Assessment 1 2026: Mapping Exercise and 500-Word Commentary | University of Westminster

Legal Systems, Cultures and Ideas – Summative Assessment 1: Mapping Exercise

This first-year law mapping exercise asks students to choose one of seven legal-systems topics, draw a map of the key ideas, and write a short commentary that explains the map and then takes a reasoned, evidenced position. Marks reward research, a logical outline of argument and clear communication rather than length.

Assessment Information

You are required to produce a 500-word (+/-10%) mapping exercise on ONE of the areas listed below. The assessment tests your understanding of the issues in your chosen area, your ability to use research to map perspectives, to present an outline or plan of a logical argument, and to communicate your ideas in an appropriate format.

Produce a map, in a format of your choice, with a separate commentary on that map (do not put the commentary into the map). Any mapping tool may be used, for example Miro, Lucidchart, XMind, Coggle, Canva, CMap or SmartArt in PowerPoint. The commentary must be in Microsoft Word; the map can be uploaded as a separate document or inserted as an image in front of the commentary. Marking is anonymous, so name the file “LSCI Summative 1 Mapping Exercise” without your name or student ID.

Step 1: Choose ONE Area

1. Law and society: map personal autonomy and the remit of the law in relation to the recent assisted suicide debate in the UK. In your commentary, explain your map, then discuss whether personal autonomy should override legal restrictions on assisted suicide in the UK and why.
2. Law, power and politics: for either the #BlackLivesMatter movement in the UK or the #MeToo movement, map the sources of power, the forms of power and the challenges to power. In your commentary, explain your map, then discuss whether there was a ‘winner’ in the struggle for power, based on theories of sources, forms and challenges to power.
3. Law, ethics and morals: map the legal, ethical and moral dilemmas and theories arising from R v Dudley and Stephens (1884). In your commentary, explain your map, outline the arguments of counsel and the judges’ opinion, then discuss whether you agree with the ruling or would rule differently, covering law, ethics and morals.
4. English common law and civil law systems: map the key commonalities and differences between common law and civil law legal systems, including their historical development. In your commentary, explain your map, then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the two systems.
5. Mixed legal systems: for a country with a mixed legal system, map how the system developed, which systems are being mixed, and legal pluralism within it. In your commentary, explain your map, then discuss the advantages and disadvantages of that mixed system.
6. International legal systems: map what international law is, its main sources and the main institutions of the international legal system. In your commentary, explain your map, then discuss the commonalities and differences between national and international law and how effective international law is.
7. Legal Systems 4.0: map what a “Network State” is, including the role technology plays (internet, blockchain and/or digital networks) and how Network States differ from traditional countries. In your commentary, explain your map, discuss ONE way a Network State might challenge traditional legal systems (common law, civil law or mixed), and consider whether Network States are a positive or negative idea for the future of law.

In every option, your answer must be evidenced. The module’s seminars, tutorials and homework tasks for each topic are signposted as help.

Step 2: Research and Referencing Requirements

• Base your map and commentary on academic sources you have researched, using only sources that pass the CRAAP test.
• The commentary must be 500 words (no more than 550 and no fewer than 450). Words in the map, footnotes and bibliography do not count.
• Refer to at least FOUR authoritative sources that support your arguments, acknowledged in footnotes and a bibliography.
• Use footnotes fully referenced in OSCOLA (the Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities), and include a fully OSCOLA-referenced bibliography at the end of the commentary.

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