Unit name | International Law and the Use of Force |
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Unit code | LAWDM0111 |
Credit points | 30 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Professor. Achilles Skordas |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The unit explores the theory and practice of the international law of force, and considers the relevant rules of the UN Charter and of customary international law. It also discusses the authority of the UN Security Council under Chapter VII, and the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice, and of municipal courts. The unit also examines the various forms of recourse to force, including self-defence, reprisals, aggression, and intervention, as well as the policy of targeted killing, as carried out by the United States and Israel. It also explores legal and policy-related dimensions of contemporary conflicts, including Afghanistan, Kosovo, Iraq, Georgia, Somalia, and Lebanon.
By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to explain: a) the various layers of regulation of the law of force (UN Charter, customary international law, b) the role and function of the UN Security Council and of the International Court of Justice, and c) different forms of legal, illegal, or legitimate forms of recourse to the use of force. Students will also be able to assess the armed conflicts regarding their legality, and advise policy-makers on the decisions they have to make, and on the alternatives they face (unilateral or multilateral action, ex ante or ex post authorization from the UNSC), depending on the overall response of other states and of the international community. Students will be able to state international law accurately, apply the relevant rules and principles in situations of conflict, and think critically about the role of force in contemporary international relations, including the 'war on terror'.
Eleven two-hour seminars
One three-hour closed book examination in May/June, in which students answer 3 questions from a choice of 8 questions.