International Law: Current and Emerging Issues

label Diverse autorenew 2025-09-29, 17:01 history_edu Ioana Dinescu
The purpose of the course is to provide a broad understanding of the core principles of international law and engage in the realities of international politics while focusing on particular global issues in depth. The course will be instructed in two parts, firstly, as a system of rules which govern sovereign States, and secondly, the application and effect of those rules in specific topical issues. The course also provides a broad discussion of the international legal framework for international trade and investment, and its implications on global economic integration. The method of study will be interactive.The course covers the following areas of study: the Use of Force in international politics, International Humanitarian law, World Trade Law and International Investment law.The course will cover the following topics and questions relating to International Law. 1. What is international law?• Who are the subjects of International law?• What are the sources of international law?2. The Use of Force in international politics• What is the meaning of "force", "self-defense" and "pre-emptive force"?• What is an armed attack?• Does the right of self-defense relate to an attack from another State, or can it extend to attacks from non-state actors?• What do the doctrines of necessity and proportionality entail?3. World Trade Law• The Nature of the rights, responsibilities and obligations of the WTO Settlement• The DSU in operation and potential amendments• What are the underlying principles of the WTO?• Developing Countries and current concerns in the WTO3. International Investment Law,What are/is• Investment agreements• Expropriation• Standards of treatment• The responsibility of the host state and protection by the investor's home state?

Period
25-07-2014 - 15-08-2014 (3 weeks)

Target group
The course is not restricted to students with a background in law and encourages those with a keen interest in international affairs and global economic integration to enrol.

Course aim
Whilst designed to provide participants with the fundamental theoretical and practical knowledge of the framework of international law, the course also hopes to: Develop the critical reasoning skills of participants in order to perform competent legal analysis, reasoning, and problem solving on controversial issues of global importance; Help participants understand both the legal and political aspects of international decisions and events, and evaluate the international legality of contemporary political events and the ability of law to influence State behaviour; Develop participants confidence to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, on the subject. Classroom discussion and exercises will enhance their ability to think independently but also respect the opinions of and collaborate effectively with others.



Credits
0.0 ECTS credits

Course fee
GBP 1430[Convert to USD]tuition fee only

Course leader
Ms Vichithri JayasingheMs Vichithri Jayasinghe is a PhD student at the Dickson Poon School of Law at Kings College London. Her Thesis focuses on the legality of the inclusion of non-trade concerns in the EUs GSP programme. Ms Jayasinghe is a qua

King's College London
Address: Strand, London
Postal code: WC2R 2LS
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/summerschool
E-mail: summerschool@kcl.ac.uk
Phone: +44 20 7848 1533