International Criminal Law

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course will introduce students to one of the major fields of public international law: International Criminal Law (ICL). It will cover the sources of ICL, the fundamental concepts and principles of this field, the practice of ICL, and the evolving politics of ICL. The course will also explore future directions of ICL by examining its ongoing developments and how law and politics animate them. Students will critically engage in discussions about individual as well as state and corporate accountability for the most serious international crimes both historically and in contemporary contexts. What is the role of ICL in preventing and punishing crimes against humanity, genocide, war crimes, and other crimes of international concern? What is the relation between ICL and other areas of law, such as international humanitarian law and international human rights law? Students will study, among other topics, the debates surrounding the documentation of evidence, the role of international tribunals and international legal organizations, universal jurisdiction, and the role of civil society in ICL advocacy and practice. The course includes the analysis of key cases in international criminal law and real-world examples that demonstrate the complexities of the limits and potentials of ICL. Through debates, a moot court, papers, and in-class discussions, this course will equip students with the language and critical analytical tools to explain ICL’s role in different contexts. It is required that students who enroll in this course will have taken the Public International Law course (IPOL-3374). It is not presumed that all students who take this course plan to go into law school. Rather, this course will be of particular interest to students who plan to pursue further studies and training in criminal justice, humanitarian affairs, diplomacy, political science, international law, military and security studies, international relations, and conflict resolution.