International law of armed conflict

The course is divided in two parts. The first part is devoted to the analysis of international rules, conventional and customary, relating to international and non international armed conflicts. The second part will focus on international crimes of individuals (mostly consisting of violations of the international law of armed conflict or committed in armed conflict situations) and on international criminal tribunals, with a special focus on the International Criminal Court. The purpose of the course is to provide students with the capacity to understand and to handle this specialized field of international law. At the same time it aims to prepare them, especially through the study of cases decided by international criminal tribunals and through their active involvement in the simulation of an international trial, to be able to solve new problems, linked to the present day reality, by applying the rules also to hypothetical situations. These activities should also strengthen their critical thinking in a field characterized by strong ethical connotations, and their ability to communicate orally and in writing.

By the end of the course, the students will have acquired the basic concepts and the logic of the international law of armed conflict and of international criminal law. On the basis of the acquired knowledge, they shall be able to apply those concepts and logic to the analysis of specific cases. This objective will be achieved through the direct involvement of students in the analysis of cases decided by international criminal tribunals and through their active involvement in the simulation of an international trial. These activities will enable them to solve new problems, linked to the present day reality, by applying the rules also to hypothetical situations, while strengthening their critical thinking in a field characterized by strong ethical connotations, and their ability to communicate orally and in writing.