Law Courses Catalog

The principal aim of this course is to provide an analytical overview of public international law, showing what international law is, what its principal subject divisions are, how it works and what its strengths and weaknesses are. Among the topics considered will be the nature of international law; the sources and subjects of international law; the relationship between international law and municipal law; the settlement of international disputes; human rights; statehood, recognition and self-determination; the use of force; the international commons; and the law of the sea. The emphasis throughout will be on placing international law in the context of contemporary world affairs; the civil war in Syria, combatting “Islamic State”, and the situation in Crimea and eastern Ukraine will feature prominently.

Assessment is by an unscheduled examination.