Capitalism and International Law Seminar

3 credits · Law School

In this course, we will explore how we can sharpen our analysis of international law by bringing questions of political economy to the forefront. We will begin with considering how modern international law emerged synchronously with the globalization of an economic system centered on profit and the private ownership of production, and ask, what role did international law play in this globalization? What relationship did, and does, international law bear with the vectors through which the capitalist mode expanded out of Europe: free trade, circulation of money, imperialism, and economic development. How does international law deal with those social and economic questions that are central to our evaluation of capitalism as an economic system: cultural difference, class conflict, inequality, and the realization of human autonomy? And after gaining a historical perspective on the relationship between international law and capitalism, we will consider questions about the future of economic globalization in an era when international law is widely seen as facing a moment of crisis. Enrollment limited. Prerequisite: Any introductory course in international law. [3]