Summary of *SOME* of the reading materials for the final exam (2023) for International Law and Human Rights. INCLUDES notes from (Total: 20 pages):
Beth Simmons’s chapter (2008) “11. International Law and International Relations” in “The Oxford Handbook of Law and Politics” Oxford Hand...
Summary of *SOME* of the reading materials for the final exam (2023) for International Law and
Human Rights. INCLUDES notes from (Total: 20 pages):
● Beth Simmons’s chapter (2008) “11. International Law and International Relations” in “The
Oxford Handbook of Law and Politics”.
● Hans Morgenthau’s book (1988) “Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace”,
chapter 16.
● Reus-Smit, et al. (2004) “The Politics of International Law”, chapter 2.
● Wilhelm Grewe’s book (2000) “The Epochs of International Law”, introduction.
● Brett Bowden’ journal article (2005) “The Colonial Origins of International Law. European
Expansion and the Classical Standard of Civilization”.
● Jan Klabbers’s textbook (2013) “International Law”, chapter 2, 4 and 10.
● Robert O. Keohane, Andrew Moravscik, and Anne-Marie Slaughter’s journal article (2000)
“Legalised Dispute Resolution: Interstate and Transnational”.
● Thomas W. Smith’s journal article (2002) “The New Law of War: Legitimising Hi-Tech and
Infrastructural Violence”.
● James D. Morrow’s journal article (2007) “When Do States Follow the Laws of War?”.
International Law and Human Rights Notes on *SOME* Readings
Table of Contents
“11. International Law and International Relations” 1
“Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace” 3
XVI - The Main Problems of International Law 3
“The Politics of International Law” 5
2. The Politics of International Law 5
“The Epochs of International Law” 7
Introduction 7
“The Colonial Origins of International Law. European Expansion and the Classical Standard
of Civilization” 9
“International Law” 10
Part I: The structure of international law 10
2. The making of international law 10
4. The subjects of international law 12
Part II: The substance of international law 13
10. Use of force 13
“Legalised Dispute Resolution: Interstate and Transnational” 14
“The New Law of War: Legitimising Hi-Tech and Infrastructural Violence” 16
“When Do States Follow the Laws of War?” 18
, 1
“11. International Law and International Relations”
International Law (IL): Set of rules/principles regulating the behaviour of states, IOs & individuals in
their relations with one another (absence of a central authority → relies on states’ willingness to
abide by its rules). A product of IR, providing the context for understanding how IL is
created/enforced.
➔ Has become increasingly important in IR, especially in the post-World War II era, where
states have become more interdependent (complex relationships requiring
cooperation/coordination).
◆ International Legal Personality: Entity’s capacity (e.g., state, IO, individual) to have
rights/duties under IL.
◆ Customary International Law: Unwritten rules/practices that have been consistently
& widely accepted as binding by states over time.
◆ Ius cogens: A peremptory norm of international law recognised as binding on all
states & CANNOT be violated.
◆ International Norms: Widely accepted standards of behaviour that govern state
conduct in IR. They can be formalised in treaties & other legal instruments or emerge
through customary practices.
➔ Sources of IL derived from:
◆ Treaties (most important → binding agreements between states)
◆ Customary practices (important → reflect states’ behaviour in the international
system).
◆ General principles of law.
◆ Decisions of international courts/tribunals.
➔ IL enforcement:
◆ While binding on states, there is NO global police force to enforce it.
◆ Mechanisms include:
● Diplomatic pressure.
● Economic sanctions.
● Military force.
● International courts/tribunals (provide a forum for resolving disputes
between states).
Domestic Law: Governs the behaviour of individuals & institutions within the territory of a state (has
a coercive enforcement mechanism).
Theoretical debate regarding the nature of IL between:
● International legal scholars = IL as a set of rules that bind states & regulate their behaviour.
● IR scholars = IL as a product of power politics, with states using IL to pursue their interests.
● More nuanced approach needed.
IL’s role:
● Constraint on state behaviour = imposes obligations on states & provides a framework for
resolving disputes.
, 2
● Provide opportunities for states to advance their interests = create new norms/institutions
that benefit certain states.
● Instrumental in promoting:
○ Human rights → development of international human rights treaties &
establishment of international courts/tribunals.
○ Democracy → IOs (e.g., UN, EU) using IL to promote democratic governance &
protect human rights.
Il’s effectiveness in regulating state behaviour:
● Successful in the regulation of trade/commerce, environmental law.
● Less successful, as it can often be vague, with NO clear mechanism for enforcing it (e.g.,
regulation of armed conflict, human rights).
● Depends on the level of:
○ International support for a particular norm/rule.
○ Available enforcement mechanisms to enforce the norm/rule.
○ State compliance with the norm/rule.
Compliance issues with IL = problem in the international system → lack of enforcement
mechanisms.
➔ IL relies heavily on states to comply voluntarily (can be problematic when states have
competing interests).
IL remains an important normative framework in the international system:
● Helped promote cooperation & resolve disputes peacefully.
● Critical in the promotion of human rights & democracy.
Les avantages d'acheter des résumés chez Stuvia:
Qualité garantie par les avis des clients
Les clients de Stuvia ont évalués plus de 700 000 résumés. C'est comme ça que vous savez que vous achetez les meilleurs documents.
L’achat facile et rapide
Vous pouvez payer rapidement avec iDeal, carte de crédit ou Stuvia-crédit pour les résumés. Il n'y a pas d'adhésion nécessaire.
Focus sur l’essentiel
Vos camarades écrivent eux-mêmes les notes d’étude, c’est pourquoi les documents sont toujours fiables et à jour. Cela garantit que vous arrivez rapidement au coeur du matériel.
Foire aux questions
Qu'est-ce que j'obtiens en achetant ce document ?
Vous obtenez un PDF, disponible immédiatement après votre achat. Le document acheté est accessible à tout moment, n'importe où et indéfiniment via votre profil.
Garantie de remboursement : comment ça marche ?
Notre garantie de satisfaction garantit que vous trouverez toujours un document d'étude qui vous convient. Vous remplissez un formulaire et notre équipe du service client s'occupe du reste.
Auprès de qui est-ce que j'achète ce résumé ?
Stuvia est une place de marché. Alors, vous n'achetez donc pas ce document chez nous, mais auprès du vendeur giacomoef. Stuvia facilite les paiements au vendeur.
Est-ce que j'aurai un abonnement?
Non, vous n'achetez ce résumé que pour €8,49. Vous n'êtes lié à rien après votre achat.
