03.04.78-036 Basic course in Public International Law (3 credits)

A course for Icelandic (Cand.jur.) and foreign law students (LL.M. and foreign exchange students)

Teachers: Björg Thorarensen, LL.M. Professor of Law

Pétur Leifsson, LL.M. Lecturer in Law.

Duration of instruction: September 1 - October 10, 2003.

Numbers of hours: A total of 36 hours (3 hours two times per week lasting for 6 weeks) including lectures and seminars.

Teaching methods:

Lectures with ample opportunity for discussion, seminars where student participation is required, as well as a presentation of one paper written by each student on a particular subject within the main themes of the course.

Evaluation:

1)Oral examination is 80% of total evaluation. The exam will take place in the days 13-17 of October. An exact date will be announced in due time on the schedule of examinations prepared by the Faculty Office.

2)Presentation of a paper 20%, subject to requirements to be announced later.

Objectives of the course:

This is a basic course providing a general overview on the basic principles of Public International Law, besides addressing in particular the law of state responsibility and the settlement of disputes in International Law. Emphasis will be on approaching International Law as certain kind of decision-making procedure, developing in historical and political context, aimed to provide a sound general overview on the subject.

Outline of major themes:

- International Law - its nature and function from a historical and theoretical perspective

- Major Participants in the International Legal System

- Possible sources of International Law

- Territory and introduction to the Law of the sea

- On Competence, Jurisdiction and Immunity in International Law

- The Law of Treaties in International Law

- The United Nations and the international community

- Global problems and Settlement of Disputes in International Law

- Accountability and liability in International Law - State Responsibility

Required reading:

A preliminary list of publications and other materials required for the examination follows. Please notice that minimum changes regarding the final reading list for the exam may be announced by the teachers during the course.

1. Basic textbook for the course is Akehurst's Modern Introduction to International Law by Peter Malanczuk. Rutledge, seventh edition, 1997. Students should notice that a new edition of this book is expected in the year 2002 and will be used for this course if delivered in time. It is required to read the following chapters - 1-13, 17,18,21.

2. Also students are required to use Harris, D.J. Cases and Materials on International Law. Sweet & Maxwell, fifth edition 1998 (the exact cases read to be announced during the course)

The total of required reading amount to approximately 300 pages, besides international conventions and supplementary materials from the teachers. The two books will be available at the University bookstore and are expected to be useful for the student's further studies in International Law as well.

Recommended reading:

It is recommended for students to have a treaty compilation of International Law although most of the treaties we use are available at the Internet as well. One such book will be available at the University bookstore and most likely it will be - Brownlie, Ian. Basic Documents in International Law. Oxford. fourth edition, 1995.

Also the following textbooks may be of relevance for interested students:

  • Brownlie, Ian. Principles of Public International Law. Oxford, fifth edition 1998.
  • Cassese, Antonio. International Law. Oxford, 2001.
  • Higgins, Rosalyn. Problems & Process. International Law and How We Use it. Oxford, 1994.
  • Shaw. Malcolm, N. International Law. Cambridge, fourth edition, 1997.
  • Wallace, Rebecca M.M. International Law. Sweet and Maxwell, third edition, 1997.

Useful websites:

United Nations.

The International Court of Justice.

International Commission of Jurists

The American Society of International Law (among other things there is the site for the American Journal of International Law)

European Journal of International Law.

03.04.79-036 Public International Law and International Organisations (3 credits)

A course for Icelandic (Cand.jur.) and foreign law students (LL.M. and foreign exchange students)

Teachers: Björg Thorarensen, LL.M Professor of Law.

Pétur Leifsson, LL.M. Lecturer in Law.

Duration: 7 January - 7 April, 2004 (both early and late spring semester).

Numbers of hours: A total of 36 hours (3 hours once a week lasting for total 12 weeks), including lectures and seminars.

Enrollment requisite:

Participation in this course is limited to students that have already taken Basic course in public international law, or its estimated equivalence in another University and then the individual application of participation has to be especially approved by the Faculty board.

Teaching methods:

Lectures will ample opportunity for discussion, seminars where student participation is required, as well as a presentation of one paper written by each student on a particular subject within the main themes of the course.

Evaluation:

a) Oral examination is 50% of total evaluation. The exam will take place late in April, the exact date will be announced in due time on the schedule of examinations prepared by the Faculty Office.

b) Written paper on a topic related to an International Organisation. The topic is selected by the student and approved by the teacher, evaluating 50% of the total grade. Topic has to be selected before February 1st, first draft shall be handed in no later than in the beginning of March and the final version shall be handed in before April 1st, the latest.

Objectives of the course:

This is a basic course addressing selected topics regarding certain important International Organisations, especially the U.N. but also certain other important global and regional organisations in different fields, such as International Trade and International Security. Certain emphasis will be on approaching International Law and International Organisations in an interdisciplinary manner with international relations and politics. Important International agreements and Organisations will be examined in an integrated and comparative manner, besides active student participation will be preferred.

Outline of major themes:

- General overview on the system of International Organisations

- Law of international institutions and organisations

- The global system of the United Nations

- The Use of Force in International Law

- Global and Regional Security Institutions

- The Human Rights system in a global context

- Law of the Sea, the environment and the regulation of global resources

- The global system regulating International Trade

- The European Union and Community Law from the International Law perspective

Required reading:

A preliminary list of publications and other materials required for the examination follows. Please notice that minimum changes regarding the final reading list for the exam may be announced by the teachers during the course.

1. Basic textbook for the course is Akehurst's Modern Introduction to International Law by Peter Malanczuk. Rutledge, seventh edition, 1997. Students should notice that a new edition of this book is expected in the year 2002 and will be used for this course if delivered in time. It is required to read the following chapters - (12, 14-16 and 19-22)

2. Also students are required to use - Sands, P & Klein, P. Bowett's Law of International Institutions. Sweet & Maxwell. fifth edition, 2001. The teacher will announce exact pages read for the exam in class.

3. Compilation or reader containing law treaties and articles used during the course.

The total of required reading amount to approximately 300 pages, besides international conventions, case-law and supplementary materials from the teachers. The two books will be available at the University bookstore and are expected to be useful for the student's further studies in International Law as well. The reader will be available to purchase at the Faculty Office at a reasonable price in January 2004.

Recommended reading:

This is a non-comprehensive list of useful books for the various topics of the course:

  1. Barker. J.C. International Law and International Relations. Continuum, 2000.
  2. Birnie, P. & Boyle, A. International law and the environment. Oxford, second edition, 2002.
  3. Churchill, R.R. & Love, A.V. The Law of the Sea. Manchester University Press, third edition, 1999.
  4. Detter, Ingrid. The Law of War. Cambridge, second edition, 2000.
  5. Kalshoven, F & Zegveld, L. Constrains on the Waging of War. ICRC, third edition, 1999.
  6. Kapteyn, P.J.G. and VerLoren van Themaat, P. Introduction to the Law of the European Communites. Kluwer, third edition, 1998.
  7. Qureshi, Asif. International Economic Law. Sweet and Maxwell, 1999.
  8. Robertson, A.H. and Merrills. J.G. Human Rights in the world. Manchester University Press, fourth edition, 1996.
  9. Schermers, H.G. and Blokker, N.M. International Institutional Law. Martinus Nijhoff, third edition, 1999.
  10. Trebilcock, M.J. & Howse, R. The regulation of International Trade. Routledge. second edition, 1999.
  11. White, N.D. The Law of International Organisations. Manchester University Press, 1996.

Useful Websites:

The International Court of Justice.

International Commission of Jurists.

The United Nations.

NATO.

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The European Union.

World Trade Organisation.

The Council of Europe.

International Committee of the Red Cross)

The American Society of International Law (Among other things this is the site for the American Journal of International Law)

TheEuropean Journal of International Law)