University

of Oxford
Public International Law
Course description (2015-16)

There has never been a more exciting time to study Public International Law (PIL).
Issues of PIL and international justice are at the forefront of public debates to a greater degree
than ever before. International law provides the technical and intellectual underpinnings to
large areas of international co-operation, including the prosecution of war crimes (both
internationally and nationally), the legality of the use of force against States (e.g. Iraq),
environmental protection, the scope of human rights protection (e.g. the war on terrorism),
the economic effects of globalisation promoted through the work of institutions such as the
World Trade Organization, the settlement of land and maritime boundary disputes, and the
resolution of jurisdictional conflicts arising in the context of anti-trust and other forms of
economic regulation by States.

PIL today not only impacts and shapes decisions by States to a greater degree than
ever before, but it also penetrates into the national legal order often through national court
decisions to give rights to individuals and corporations to an extent that is unrivalled in the
history of the subject. These developments have in turn led to the growth of lawyers and law
firms who specialise in the practice of PIL. This is in addition to the demand for PIL lawyers in
governments, inter-governmental organizations (such as the United Nations and the large
number of UN Specialized Agencies), and non-governmental organizations.. For those who do
not intend to follow a career in international law, the subject provides a broad sweep of issues
which illuminate not merely questions of international law but the problems and processes
of the world of diplomacy.

The PIL course at Oxford covers the major areas of general international law and is not
over-specialized. The lectures cover the core tutorial topics on the nature and sources of
international law, the law of treaties, international legal personality, jurisdiction and
immunities, the law of foreign investment, State responsibility, the use of force and the
procedures for peaceful settlement of disputes. In addition, the lectures introduce students
to special areas such the law of the sea, international humanitarian law and investment
arbitration. The consideration of these subject areas takes place within their broader policy
context and having regard to recent experience.

Although in principle the syllabus is extensive, both the teaching practice and the
mode of setting the FHS paper avoid any drawbacks which might result from this wide scope.
Thus, different teachers will focus on different selected topics, and the student will find that
it is not necessary to know the whole syllabus from A to Z. In the same context, the Schools
paper provides a wide selection of questions.