Course Content

In this chapter, we consider the content that might be covered in an international law course. We begin with an analysis of patterns of topical inclusion found in samples of international law syllabi and textbooks. The chapter also outlines the essential topics (and subtopics) for a course in international law. The primary topics are: history and background; sources, actors and subjects, jurisdiction, courts and institutions, domestic and international law, state responsibility, laws of war, international human rights, international human rights, global commons, international economic and trade law; and international criminal law In our presentation and recommendations, we rely on the distinction between the operating (e.g., how law is made, actors, jurisdiction) and normative (e.g., use of force, environment) systems first made in our 2010 book The Dynamics of International Law.