
Explores the evolution of the law of war from ancient practices to modern international norms, highlighting just war, Vitoria, and the UN charter prohibiting force.
Explore the 1949 Geneva Conventions, detailing the four conventions for wounded, shipwrecked, prisoners of war, and civilians, tracing jus cogens and the prohibition of force.
Explore how oil wars in the Middle East shaped international law of war, sanctions, and state responsibility, from the Iranian Revolution to the Iran-Iraq War and Kuwait invasion.
Examine how the United States, Russia, and other powers performed in wars from 1950 to 2000, prioritizing objective achievement over casualties and noting shifts toward China under UN norms.
From the ashes of ancient conquests to the complexities of modern armed interventions, this course offers a deep exploration into the evolution of warfare and the international legal frameworks developed to govern it. Anchored in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their subsequent interpretations, the course critically examines how states, soldiers, and supranational bodies have responded—or failed to respond—to the legal and ethical demands of warfare.
Spanning the post-World War II landscape, you will analyze armed conflicts from 1950 to the present, with focused case studies on Afghanistan, oil-driven wars, and the Indian subcontinent. You will also interrogate the legitimacy of interventions, invasions, and so-called “special military operations” under international law, while assessing the actual levels of compliance with humanitarian norms.
We will investigate the penal jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and reflect on the UN’s role in managing armed conflict and promoting global accountability.
Whether you are a civil service aspirant, student of law or international relations, military professional, diplomat, or seeker of peace, this course will equip you with a nuanced understanding of both the laws that bind war and the realities that often defy them.
Key Themes:
Historical evolution of the law of war
Geneva Conventions and customary international law
The role of the UN and the ICC in post-conflict justice
Legal analysis of interventions, invasions, and modern conflicts
Regional focus: Afghanistan, Indian subcontinent, and oil wars
Challenges of enforcement and global compliance