POL/IRL 360 The International Law and Politics of Armed Conflict

The UN Charter vows to 'save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.' The purpose of this course is to explore how international law, international organizations, states and NGOs interact in response to armed conflict, and how such responses can contribute to, or undermine, efforts to end violence. Topics will include the origins and basic principles of the law of war, the changing nature of warfare in the 21st century, the challenges facing humanitarian aid and the prospects of peacebuilding and transitional justice. We will explore these topics through a combination of lectures, class discussions, films, literature and case studies.