Public International Law

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 of international law, the relationship between international law and municipal law, the settlement of international disputes, human rights, recognition and self-determination, the use of force and the international commons. The emphasis throughout will be on placing international law in the context of contemporary world affairs, e.g., the 9/11 attacks and international terrorism, the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia and Kosovo, human rights violations throughout the world, the Israel/Palestine conflict and peace process and the international legal problems with Iraq from the 1991 Gulf war to the 2003 Iraq war and its aftermath. Evaluation is by examination.