Unit information: International Law I in 2010/11

Unit name	International Law I
Unit code	LAWD30101
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Emeritus Professor. Achilles Skordas
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	University of Bristol Law School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This is an introductory unit in Public International Law which will give students the basic skills and knowledge required to study more specialist options in international law. The unit also stands alone as an overview of some foundational issues in international law. The unit considers a number of key inter-related questions: in particular, what is international law and why does it matter? To whom does it apply? Where are the rules of this legal order to be found, and how are they enforced? The unit is designed to make students think critically about the structure, sources and function of international law and the relevance of these issues to contemporary problems.

The topics to be considered include:

   * history and function of international law;
   * international institutions
   * sources of international law;
   * law of treaties;
   * relationship between international and municipal law;
   * international legal personality and aspect of recognition;
   * jurisdiction;
   * state immunity;
   * state responsibility;
   * peaceful settlement of disputes and the International Court of Justice;
   * use of force;
   * international humanitarian law and international criminal law;