Law 270: Public International Law
Quarter: Fall 2017Instructor: Kal Raustiala Kal Raustiala
This course examines the legal rules and institutions that govern and influence world politics, as well as analyzing the politics of international law. International law today is more complex and more interesting than at any time in history. The current conflicts in Syria, against Isis, and between China and other states over the Spratly and Senkaku-Diayuo islands involve many areas of international law that we will cover, including the laws of war; war crimes and tribunals; the UN Charter; and the law of the sea. Over the course of the semester we will examine: • the basic principles of the international legal system • the major forms of international law: treaty and custom, as well as "soft law" the role and influence of international organizations and nonstate actors • the foreign relations law of the U.S., such as treaty law, the commander-in-chief power, and the constitutional role of the Senate in foreign affairs. • the international legal rules that govern trade, human rights, the use of force, and war crimes • the nature of international law itself, including questions of compliance, effectiveness, and enforcement. *Law School Fall 2017 Semester starts 8/21/17
