Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), otherwise known as the “World Court,” is one of the most vital institutions of public international law. As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN), the ICJ settles legal disputes submitted by states and provides advisory opinions on legal questions submitted by authorized UN bodies. The ICJ has long played a critical role in the development of international law regulating armed conflict and the use of force. But in recent years, the World Court has faced a growing number of challenging questions, including on issues related to belligerent occupation and reparations for violations of international humanitarian law.

This course will explore the ICJ’s major engagements with and contributions to public international law frameworks regulating armed conflict (jus in bello) and the use of force (jus ad bellum). Focusing primarily on the World Court’s jurisprudence, the course will explore how the Court has navigated some of the most challenging and contentious questions of law as it relates to: the customary rules and treaty provisions of international humanitarian law; the interplay between international humanitarian law and international human rights law in armed conflict; compensation for harms caused in armed conflict; self-defense and the jus ad bellum principles of necessity and proportionality; the legal frameworks regulating belligerent occupation; and the relationship between states and armed groups. Lastly, the course will consider ongoing ICJ cases related to armed conflict, providing students with the opportunity to grapple with how the World Court may contend with today’s most pressing armed conflicts.

Note: This reading group will meet on the following dates: TBD.