URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/R_PolIL

Course Objective

The learning objectives of this course are: Knowledge and understanding of: 1) international conflict and security law, with a particular focus on the jus ad bellum 2) The overlaps and differences between the legal and political science approaches to international security issues, with a specific focus on interdisciplinary perspectives on international legal doctrines 3) The interrelationship between international law and international politics in the area of international security Academic skills: Being capable of: 7) Identifying and applying theoretical approaches from international law and other, related disciplines 9) Independently set up a (legal) argument in the area of and on international conflict and security law 10) Independently apply research methods and interpret results 11) Independently set up, carry out and report the result of research project 12) Critically reflect on research results and relating those results to theoretical debates within the domain of international law

Course Content

This course takes international law as its object of study. In several seminars, we consider different manifestations of international law and scrutinize its politics, by means of concrete international security issues. For example, how do international legal scholars deal with the problem of cyberwar; and what does that tell us about how we know what international law is? What do we see when we look at humanitarian intervention from a postcolonial perspective, and (how) does that help in understanding the invasion in Iraq? The attempt here is to open up the ‘black box’ of international law and not take it as a given. In other words, the aim is to question the self-evident nature of international law: its rules, its application, the law-appliers and the legal knowledge producers. What we try to grasp, is the contingency as well as the fixedness of this ‘thing’ called international law. At the same time, we’re using this course to train your writing skills, also with an eye to the thesis. The final assignment of this course consists of a paper question; we’ll use one of the seminars to focus on academic writing, also to make sure you know what’s expected of you for the final paper.

Teaching Methods

The course consists of 7, three hour interactive seminars. Group discussion (and thus, student preparation) is at the core of this course.

Method of Assessment

The course is assessed by means of two assignments: A final paper A presentation on that paper

Literature

Please check the canvas site of the course for the syllabus and literature

Target Audience

The course is aimed at Master's students, and is one of the core courses of the LPIS master programme. TLS students have participated in the past, and are very welcome, other interested students are also welcome. Courses from a master at the faculty can only be taken as a secondary course if you have a diploma that gives access to the relevant master/ specialization and if you are enrolled in a master.

Entry Requirements

A Public International Law course at LL.B./LL.M. level; if you do notfulfil this requirement but wish to follow the course anyway, send me anemail.

Recommended background knowledge

A public international law course is highly recommended. If you don't have this prior knowledge, please send me an email.

Explanation Canvas

Please check the canvas site of the course for the syllabus and literature
Academic year1/09/2431/08/25
Course level6.00 EC

Language of Tuition

  • English

Study type

  • Master