Professor Veerle Heyvaert, Professor Stephen Humphreys, Dr Mona Paulsen, Professor Gerry Simpson and Dr Devika Hovell

In an increasingly interconnected and global world, where institutions like the International Criminal Court and the World Trade Organisation play a critical role in managing and facilitating relationships between different states, an understanding of International Law is of great importance.

The purpose of this course is to engage students with international affairs through the study of the legal frameworks which govern them, situating those frameworks within the material and cultural context of international politics. Focusing on controversial and significant issues in contemporary international politics, including recent examples of the use of force, international economic integration and the promotion and protection of human rights and the environment, you will actively engage in these topics through key readings, role-plays, and question and answer sessions.

By the end of the course, you will have a firm understanding of the structure and operation of the international legal order, having explored focused case studies including the war on terror, the international legal prohibition against torture, and the use of force in Iraq, Libya and Syria.