Course ID
039087
Course Description
Law and war have been intertwined for centuries. Both jus ad bellum, which governs the legitimacy of the resort to armed force, and jus in bello, which addresses conduct during hostilities, have been debated in many cultures and by various types of people- warriors, jurists, politicians, and philosophers.
This course provides an overview of the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), also known as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and its application on the modern battlefield and/or in armed conflict. The course will also briefly address the preliminary matter of the international law and norms governing the resort to armed force (i.e., \"going to war\").
Most of the current international law relating to armed conflict was codified in the aftermath of World War II, with the signing of the UN Charter in 1945 and the revision of the Geneva Conventions in 1949. The UN Charter makes it a violation of international law for a State to threaten or use force against another State, with two important exceptions for Security Council authorization, and for actions taken in self-defense. We will discuss these exceptions and current issues such as the responsibility to protect (R2P) and the crime of aggression.
The four 1949 Geneva Conventions and the two 1977 Additional Protocols are at the heart of LOAC/IHL. They seek to limit the effects of war by restricting the means and methods of warfare and by protecting persons who are not, or are no longer, participating in the hostilities -- such as civilians and prisoners of war. We will discuss these issues and related questions such as LOAC's/IHL's applicability to non-international armed conflict, to the \"war on terror\", and to new technologies. We will examine the means of implementation and enforcement, including the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Criminal Court. We will also discuss the relationship of LOAC/IHL to other areas of public international law such as human rights law.
This course provides an overview of the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC), also known as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), and its application on the modern battlefield and/or in armed conflict. The course will also briefly address the preliminary matter of the international law and norms governing the resort to armed force (i.e., \"going to war\").
Most of the current international law relating to armed conflict was codified in the aftermath of World War II, with the signing of the UN Charter in 1945 and the revision of the Geneva Conventions in 1949. The UN Charter makes it a violation of international law for a State to threaten or use force against another State, with two important exceptions for Security Council authorization, and for actions taken in self-defense. We will discuss these exceptions and current issues such as the responsibility to protect (R2P) and the crime of aggression.
The four 1949 Geneva Conventions and the two 1977 Additional Protocols are at the heart of LOAC/IHL. They seek to limit the effects of war by restricting the means and methods of warfare and by protecting persons who are not, or are no longer, participating in the hostilities -- such as civilians and prisoners of war. We will discuss these issues and related questions such as LOAC's/IHL's applicability to non-international armed conflict, to the \"war on terror\", and to new technologies. We will examine the means of implementation and enforcement, including the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Criminal Court. We will also discuss the relationship of LOAC/IHL to other areas of public international law such as human rights law.
Min Units
1
Max Units
1
Repeatable for Credit
No
Grading Basis
ALT - Alternative Grading +/- A,B,C,D,E,S,P,F
Career
Law
Course Requisites
May be convened with
Component
Lecture
Optional Component
No