International law knowledge: This module will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the complex international legal questions that make the headlines;

Interrelationship between law and politics knowledge: Students will learn to demonstrate and critically evaluate how law and politics interrelate and how issues of globalisation are incorporated into the international legal language;

Critical analysis of media and international law: The module will also encourage students to take a step back and critically analyse why it is that international law seems to be focussed on crises that make headlines;

Through the means of recognising and ranking complex issues, a further site of enquiry will be the question of whether there is also an every-day international law that is not discussed in the news?

Understanding doctrine and theory: The module will analyse the relationship between doctrine (treaties, statutes) and theory in international law. It wil l encourage an employment of critical legal theory to understand some of the power struggles of international law.

(LO1) At the end of the module students will be able to identify and critically assess international legal debates in current affairs;

(LO2) At the end of the module students will be able to understand how current affairs themselves impact on international law;

(LO3) At the end of the module students will be able to critically analyse the predominant international legal issues prevalent in current affairs debates with reference to specific key issue-areas (e.g. the ‘war on terror’ in general and the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in particular) and primary and secondary sources;

(LO4) At the end of the module students will be able to question and assess the emphasis of crises in international law and identify issues that are a concern to international law but do not make the headlines;

(LO5) At the end of the module students will be able to present a news item, in a group, in its international legal context;

(LO6) At the end of the module students will be able to speak about the complexities of international law in current affairs, and the available sources

(S1) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S2) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Academic writing (inc. referencing skills)

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S4) Critical thinking and problem solving - Problem identification

(S5) Working in groups and teams - Group action planning

(S6) Information skills - Critical reading

(S7) Global citizenship - Relevant economic/political understanding

The module examines international law in current affairs, viewing broad principles of international law through current events, as such the topics vary year by year. Below is an indicative syllabus:

Key principles in international law

- The War in Ukraine (sovereignty, sovereign equality, non-intervention)

- Guantanamo Bay (sources of international law)

Subjects/Actors of international law

- The status of Palestine in the international community (States and Statehood)

- Multinational Corporations (State and non-State actors)

- The History of Haiti (international organisations)

International law and crisis
- The War on Terror
- Climate change
International Law and Slow violence
- Poverty
- The refugee crisis

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description:
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: There will be 11 one-hour lectures with the first 20-30 minutes reserved for group presentations.

Teaching Method 2 - Seminar
Description:
Attendance Recorded: Yes
Notes: There will be four tutorials, each 1,5 hours long.

Teaching Method 3 - Assessment
Description:
Attendance Recorded: Not yet decided