Scuola Universitaria Interdipartimentale in Scienze Strategiche (SUISS)

This is a foundational course in public international law, the legal order which is meant to structure and regulate the interactions between entities participating in and shaping international relations. The course aims at providing students with the analytical tools necessary to understand the structures, ideas, processes, history and content of contemporary international law.

By attending the course, students will develop the skills to:

• thoroughly analyse and interpret legal sources, literature and cases;

• formulate an independent opinion on international legal issues;

• clearly present their findings to a diversified audience;

• actively participate in debates over contemporary international law issues;

• actively and skilfully conceptualize, apply, analyse, synthesise, and evaluate information in order to form a judgement and reach an answer or conclusion (critical thinking).

At the end of the course, students should:

• demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the topics addressed;

• be able to properly use the skills acquired to analyse and solve international legal questions by applying the correct institutions of public international law;

• be able to organise the knowledge acquired and to weight its importance and relevance;

• be able to formulate an independent and critical opinion on current issues of international law;

• be able to explain the knowledge acquired, by using an appropriate legal terminology.

The course will cover the following topics:

• The nature of international law and its role in international affairs;

• The sources and making of international law;

• The subjects and actors of international law;

• Statehood, recognition of states and governments;

• Self-determination;

• The law of treaties;

• Sovereignty, jurisdiction and immunities;

• The law of responsibility for violations of international law and its enforcement;

• The mechanisms for peaceful settlement of international disputes;

• The use of force under international law and the UN collective security mechanism;

• International criminal law.

The textbook for the course is Jan Klabbers, International Law (Cambridge University Press, 3^rd edition, 2021) or, alternatively, Anders Henriksen, International Law (Oxford University Press, 3^rd edition, 2021). Additional materials will be assigned for any given class, divided into before-class and after-class readings. All materials will be made available in due course through the Moodle platform.

The general idea is that you shall come to class well prepared, having at least skimmed through before-class readings so as to participate interactively during the lectures, foster a fruitful discussion as well as solve any possible doubts you might have.

An important part of the preparation for the lectures and the exam is the active study of the assigned set of materials, including case law and academic articles.

The duration of the course is 42 hours (6 credits).

The course will be articulated in lectures, aimed at framing the key issues and providing a critical appraisal of the subject; Dr. Gustavo Minervini will deliver them.

• Students shall enroll in the teaching platform (Moodle) as soon as possible.

The final exam will consist in a written essay composed of open-ended and/or multiple-choice questions.

If there are doubts or specific needs, students are invited to contact Dr Gustavo Minervini as soon as possible.

Students are invited to contact Dr Gustavo Minervini for clarifications or other didactic needs.

Notably, students with disabilities or SLD are invited to point out their needs, so as to define alternative ways to attend the course and/or take the final exam.

Please, you are invited to contact Dr Gustavo Minervini via email: gustavo.minervini@unito.it.