Skip to content

Spring 2026 Seminar

China and the International Legal Order

Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

In the Xi era, China has started to cast aside the long-standing maxim of “keeping a low profile and biding one’s time” in international affairs. What does China’s rise portend for the international legal order? In what ways is China seeking to reshape global norms versus uphold a status quo order exhibiting increasing fragility? This seminar examines this question for various domains of international law, including climate change, economics, sovereignty, human rights, and development. It will consider the ways in which history, geostrategic competition, domestic politics, and economic interests impact these questions.