00230 - International Law

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing an overview of the current organisation and structure of the International legal system and analysing certain sensitive issues, such as the provisions on the use of force. At the end of the course students are expected to have basic knoledge and tools useful to anlyse the most relevant phenomena of international relations from a legal perspective.

Course contents

A) General part. This part is aimed at providing information about the institutional aspects of the subject:

 

1.     Historical evolution and current features of the international legal system

2.     The subjects of the international legal system.

3.     The sources: customary law, treaties, sources envisaged by specific agreements.

4.     The application of international regulations within a country.

5.     The violation of international provisions and its consequences.

6.     International disputes settlement.

 

B) Special part. This part will be dealing with the following issue:

 

1.     The evolution of the International Community and the prohibition of the use of force

Readings/Bibliography

General part:

Choose one of the following :

- CONFORTI, Diritto internazionale, Napoli, 2010

- CASSESE, GAETA, Il diritto internazionale, Bologna, 2006

- TREVES, Diritto internazionale, Milano, 2005

- TANZI,  Introduzione al diritto internazionale contemporaneo, II ed., Cedam, Padova, 2010

- Students are recommended to use a Code of the Law of International Organisations. Further information will be provided during the course.

Special part:

a. Documentation

Corte internazionale di giustizia, 2 giugno 1999, ordinanza Yugoslavia c. Belgio, Canada, Francia, Germania, Italia, Olanda, Portogallo, Spagna, Regno unito, Stati uniti; 8 luglio 1996, parere relativo alla liceità della minaccia o dell'uso di armi nucleari; 14 aprile 1992, ordinanza Libia c. Stati uniti; 27 giugno 1986, Nicaragua c. Stati uniti. Corte europea dei diritti dell'uomo, 12 dicembre 2001, Bankovic e altri c. Belgio, Repubblica ceca, Danimarca, Francia, Germania, Grecia, Ungheria, Islanda, Italia, Lussemburgo, Olanda, Norvegia, Polonia, Portogallo, Spagna, Turchia e Regno unito Consiglio di sicurezza, Risoluzioni 1483 del 22 maggio 2003; 1386 del 20 dicembre 2001; 1373 del 28 settembre 2001; 1368 del 12 settembre 2001; 940 del 31 luglio 1994; 836 del 4 giugno 1993; 814 del 26 marzo 1993; 688 del 5 aprile 1991. Assemblea generale, Risoluzioni 3314-XXIX del 14 dicembre 1974 sulla nozione di aggressione; 2625-XXV del 24 ottobre 1970 sulle relazioni amichevoli tra Stati.

 

b. Bibliography:

FRANCK, Recourse to Force, State Actions Against Threats and Armed Attacks, Cambridge, 2002;

MENOTTI - BRANDIMARTE,  La NATO, in ROSSI (ed), Le Organizzazioni internazionali come strumenti di governo multilaterale, Milano, 2006, pp. 133-164;

RONZITTI, Diritto internazionale dei conflitti armati, Torino, 2001, pp. 1-113;

STARITA, Le Nazioni Unite in ROSSI (ed), Le Organizzazioni internazionali come strumenti di governo multilaterale, Milano, 2006, pp. 191-258;

TANZI, L'Organizzazione per la cooperazione e la sicurezza in Europa in ROSSI (ed), Le Organizzazioni internazionali come strumenti di governo multilaterale, Milano, 2006, pp. 95-132;

VILLANI, Lezioni sull'ONU e la crisi del Golfo, Bari, 1991, pp. 15-109;

SCHRJVER, Commentaire de l'art. 2, par. 4, in Cot et Pellet (sous la direction de), La Charte des Nations Unies, Bruxelles, 2005, pp. 437-466.

Please note that if you have to get only 3 credits, the recommended reading is limited to the general part.

Teaching methods

Traditional teaching and case studies

Assessment methods

The assessment of the course is carried out through three written tests hold during the term plus a final oral examination.

The first test is made up of 2 open questions (max. 3 points for each question) plus 30 multiple choice questions (0.8 points for each correct answer). This test aims at assessing the capacity to learn some basic contents of the course. The second test consists of three open questions, each question can be given a max. of 10 points. Both analytical skills and written form of presentation of arguments will be assessed. The third test consists of a simulated case-study analysis. It can be given a max. of 30 points. This test aims at assessing the students' capacity to identify legal issues arising from the case-study and their ability to provide coherent and logic answers making use of all the contents learned during the course.

The oral examination aims at assessing the students' preparation about the special part on the use of force.

In order to get a final mark, each of the above mentioned tests, not excluded the oral one, must have achieved a positive evaluation (18/30). The final mark will consist of the average of the marks obtained.

Students who have succeeded at least one of the written tests can accede to the oral examination, when they have the possibility to be assessed again on the parts concerning the other tests previously failed.

Students that have not taken any written test or have not any sufficient mark, cannot accede directly to the oral examination. They will have to pass a written test dealing with the general part of the course. The written test is made up of 15 multiple choice questions and will be held on the same day of the oral discussion. In order to succeed this test, students will have to give at least 11 correct answers. Then, the oral examination will focus on the whole course content, both the general and the special part.

During the summer exam session (June-July) students can choose only one exam date out of the three provided. If they fail the exam or do not accept the mark, they can try again in September (one exam date). Otherwise, they will have to wait until the following summer exam session. There are going to be two exam dates in the January-February session (for those students who are enrolled out of course. They have to choose just one exam date.) and one date between March and April (only for students belonging to the previous academic order).

Office hours

See the website of Marco Balboni