LA9A1-20 International Criminal Law
Introductory description
Initiatives in International Criminal Justice have developed at an extraordinary rate since the end of the Cold War. With the instigation of the International Criminal Court on the back of ad hoc tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, as well as various other locations in the World, it is possible to trace the emergence of an international criminal law. But how should we view these developments? What principles have guided them? How might they be interpreted from perspectives of global justice and human rights? And what are the prospects for further development?
The module’s specific aim is to explore these questions. In particular it will do so by examining four key themes of:
Jurisdiction
Atrocity
Responsibility
Judgment
Module aims
The module has as specific objectives the development of:
a knowledge of the international legal principles of international criminal justice;
an understanding of the principal institutional structures for the implementation of international criminal law;
an understanding of the key issues for further development of the law and of current initiatives for change;
an understanding of the different roles played by individuals and institutions in; and
an ability to apply the norms of international criminal law to specific case studies and be able to conduct research in the field of international criminal law
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
The Nature of International Criminal Law and Justice
Jurisdiction: National vs. International
Crimes of Aggression
War Crimes, in particular the crime to recruit and use children
Progress on Crimes against humanity
Genocide and Gender
Fairness & Victims
Alternatives to Prosecution
The future of the ICC and ICL
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Identify and develop an understanding of the key institutions; international legal principles and processes of international criminal law
- Develop an understanding of the key issues for further development of the law and of current initiatives for change;
- Engage in critical debate and analysis of the functions of international criminal law, and its interplay with other aspects of public international law.
- Apply knowledge of the law to specific practical situations, both theoretically and empirically.
- Evaluate the law and the law-making processes as they relate to the subject matter covered.
Indicative reading list
Antonio Cassese and Paola Gaeta, Cassese's International Criminal Law (OUP 3rd ed. 2013).
Subject specific skills
No subject specific skills defined for this module.
Transferable skills
No transferable skills defined for this module.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 8 sessions of 1 hour (4%) |
| Seminars | 16 sessions of 1 hour (8%) |
| Private study | 176 hours (88%) |
| Total | 200 hours |
Private study description
No private study requirements defined for this module.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| 4000 word essay | 100% | No | |
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Students should write a 4000 word essay on one of the given topics. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Feedback via Tabula
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TLAS-M1M2 LLM International Development Law and Human Rights
- Year 1 of TIMA-L981 Postgraduate Social Science Research
- Year 1 of TLAA-M3PJ Postgraduate Taught Advanced Legal Studies
This module is Core option list B for:
- Year 1 of TLAS-M1M2 LLM International Development Law and Human Rights
- Year 1 of TLAA-M3PJ Postgraduate Taught Advanced Legal Studies