International Law

Designed for non-lawyers, this course explores the pressing challenges of international law governing the actions of states, international organizations, multinationals, and civil society. The course strengthens participants' analytical and debate skills while providing practical tools and up-to-date knowledge of international law methodologies. Key areas of international law discussed will include general questions such as treaty application, state responsibility and the responsibility of global companies, and the functioning of international organizations as well as specific substantive areas such as human rights, global health, the environment, and climate change, the world economy, peace and conflict, and serious international crimes.

Students will engage directly with current, critical global issues, such as the war in Ukraine, broader conflicts in the Middle East, ongoing plastic waste negotiations in the UN, the future of the UN climate change conferences, the WHO approach to global health reform, and regulatory frameworks on artificial intelligence. We use case studies drawn from urgent, real-world scenarios such as the South China Sea crisis, US countermeasures against cyber operations, Elon Musk’s Starshield program, the UN's Digital Platforms Code of Conduct proposal, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, WTO disputes on intellectual property rights, the ICJ opinions on the Chagos Archipelago and on the “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” and the enhanced role of the International Criminal Court as key learning tools.

This course enables students to understand the foundations of international relations, the interaction among states, and the roles of key international organizations. The key learning outcomes include: 1. Grasping core concepts and terminology of international law and understanding its formation. 2. Developing logical thinking about key rules and areas of international law and the work of relevant bodies. 3. Researching international law topics and applying and critiquing major frameworks to understand global political and social changes. 4. Enhancing group work and communication skills through activities such as drafting legal texts, organizing assignments, and making presentations in simulated classroom settings. By the end of the course, students will enhance their collaboration and communication skills through practical activities aimed at addressing global challenges in the protection of victims. They will practice form