Handbook

The field of international law deals with many aspects of the functioning of the international community (including the relations of States with each other and with international organisations); it also affects many activities that occur within or across State boundaries (such as the treatment by States of their citizens, environmental law, international trade and many other areas). The impact of international law on the Australian legal system and the globalised nature of many social activities means that a basic knowledge of the terminology, institutions, and substance of international law is not only worthwhile acquiring in its own right, but is also a necessary part of the knowledge and skills of any law graduate. This is so, whether you choose to go into the private practice of law, to work as a government or public lawyer, or are undertaking a law degree because you consider it will be useful in another career.

Main Topics

• Introduce you to the basic concepts and terminology of public international law
• Provide you with an overview of the processes by which international law is formed and the most important bodies and institutions involved in the international legal system
• Introduce you to the international law relating to treaties, and to the use of force, and the relevance of those topics to current events
• Introduce you to the interaction between the international legal system and the Australian legal system;
• Introduce you to various theoretical perspectives on the formation and operation of the international legal system
• Show the relevance of international law to current political and social developments at the international and national levels; and
• Provide you with an introduction to sources and methods of research in the field of international law.