Introduction to International & Comparative Law-Fall 2016

  • Ashley Lawrenson
  • Manuel A. Gómez (Florida International University College of Law)

This is an experimental open-source casebook assembled through the H2O platform of Harvard Law School's Berkman Center Center for Internet & Society. The materials included here are intended to be used as the main casebook for an introductory course on International Public Law. This casebook can be accessed and used online or exported for printing, whatever is most convenient to the students. 

1 IICL Syllabus-Fall 2016 1 IICL Syllabus-Fall 2016

Introduction to International & Comparative Law 

28 Sessions (14 weeks)

 

Syllabus

  1. Making sense of International Law
    1. Discussion about current events dealing with international law
  2. States as the main pillars of international law
    1. Montevideo Convention
    2. International norms on the responsibility of state organs
  3. State recognition: Importance and effects in international law
    1. Accordance with international law of the unilateral declaration of independence in respect of Kosovo, International Court of Justice, 22 July 2010
  4. Special assignment: Micronations
    1. http://money.cnn.com/2015/09/03/news/how-to-run-a-micronation/
  5. Non-state actors: Responsibility for violation of international law
    1. Kiobel et al v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co. et al 133 S.Ct. 1659 (2013)
  6. International organizations: Responsibility and legal personality of the United Nations
    1. Reparation of Injuries Suffered in Service of the United Nations, Advisory Opinion, 1949 International Court of Justice 174 (Apr. 11)
  7. Treaties I: Negotiation, and conclusion under United States law
    1. Statute of Rome
    2. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
    3. Clinton's signature of Statute of Rome
    4. Bolton's withdrawal of signature of Treaty of Rome
  8. Treaties II: International judicial enforcement
    1. Mexico v. United States (Avena, and 51 other Mexican nationals)
    2. Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
  9. Treaties III: Judicial enforcement in the United States
    1. Medellín v. Texas, 552 S.Ct.____(2008)
  10. Treaties IV: Termination
    1. Kucinich v. Bush
    2. Brexit
  11. International courts I: the International Court of Justice
    1. Costa Rica v. Nicaragua
    2. Iran v. United States of America
  12. International courts II: the International Criminal Court
    1. Dusko Tadic case
  13. International courts III: the Permanent Court of Arbitration
    1. Philippines v. China
  14. International courts IV: Investor-State Arbitration
    1. ICSID case
  15. Mid-term review
  16. Hurdles faced by international law in United States courts I: Foreign Sovereign Immunity
    1. Republic of Austria v. Maria V. Altmann
  17. Hurdles faced by international law in United States courts II: Act of State Doctrine
    1. Banco Nacional de Cuba v. Sabbatino
  18. Special assignment: Hurdles faced by international law in United States courts III: Fraud, money laundering, and the extraterritorial application of United States law
    1. RJR Nabisco v. European Community, 579 US_____(2016)
  19. The use of force: Limits
    1. Lybia and the U.N. Security Council
  20. Self-defense in international law
    1. Nicaragua v. United States of America
    2. Caroline case
  21. Modern warfare:
    1. Israel targeted killings
  22. Human rights in the Americas
    1. López Mendoza v. Venezuela
  23. Human rights in Europe
    1. Soering v. United Kingdom
  24. Torture
    1. Filartiga v. Peña Irala
  25. Piracy
    1. United States of America v. Dire et al 680 F.3d 446 (May 23, 2012)
  26. Special assignment: Enemy combatants and prisoners of war
    1. Hamdan v. Rumsfeld
  27. Space law
    1. TBA
  28. Final review