Diplomatic and Consular Law

The course aims at transmitting knowledge and understanding of the legal framework in which diplomatic and consular relations and activities take place, both with regard to bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. It also intends to foster students' capability to grasp the grasp the essence of the interactions between different key players in international relations, to develop their capability to assess autonomously complex legal situations, and to discuss critically about them. Not only will the teaching activities and evaluation methods develop students' understanding of the subject matter, but they will also be equipped with the toolbox of international diplomacy, i.e. with the technical-juridical tools and methodologies necessary for the performance of the functions of the members of diplomatic missions, consular officers and agents of international organizations. Furthermore, the course seeks to enhance students' mastery of legal language and their communication skills.

At the end of the course, students shall be acquainted with the founding aspects of diplomatic and consular law, and will also have to be in the position to grasp the essence of its functioning, all the while showing knowledge of the relevant contents of the main normative acts in such field of international law. They are also expected to deal with the most frequent and urgent issues in diplomatic relations in an appropriate fashion, by resorting to the theoretical, linguistic, and normative toolbox of international law, which they are required to acquire thorough the exam of the judicial application of relevant provisions, thanks to specific case-studies and adequate supporting materials. While attending the course, students will be required to perform hands-down research tasks, hence becoming confident with electronic case-law databases, scholarly collections, and other on-line resources. Such skills, which may be used for autonomous research purposes, appear to be transferrable in nature, so as to be suitable to be eventually resorted to both in the course of their studies and in their future profession.