CREDITS 2 (LV) 3 (ECTS) - 32 Contact Hours
The International Humanitarian Law course will embark on the discussion of the basic tenets of the law of armed conflict – concepts, principles and rules. The course will consist of lectures and practically oriented seminars during which the students will work on case solution and presentation of the results.
At the outset, the course will examine the definition, scope, historical development, sources, and critique of international humanitarian law. Students will get an insight into the relation between international humanitarian law and adjacent fields of law, such as the law on the use of armed force, human rights law, and international criminal law. Current armed conflicts will be assessed in light of the distinction between international armed conflict (IAC) and non-international armed conflict (NIAC) and the applicable regimes they entail. The course will then examine the main principles applicable during warfare (principle of humanity, military necessity, principle of distinction, principle of proportionality, and prohibition to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering).
Further, the course will explore different groups of persons involved in situations of IAC and NIAC and regime of protection attributable to them. Through practical exercises students will learn to classify different subjects during armed conflicts and the relevant protection regimes. The course will finally examine different ways to enforce international humanitarian law, focusing on relevant actors such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and different regimes of responsibility of states, non-state actors, and individuals. Throughout the course, students will focus on certain topics of particular relevance, such as the classification of current conflicts, the protection of the environment in armed conflict, the prohibition of cluster munitions, and autonomous weapon systems.- Teacher: Fin-Jasper Langmack