Subject Area: International Relations
This course can also be studied in the following specialisations: Legal Studies, Politics

International law is integral to world politics. It is the medium through which states and other actors negotiate their positions on a vast array of subjects and via which politics has, over recent decades, undergone a process of globalisation. In this course you will be introduced to the alternative approaches to analysing the political role of international law and will examine the various ways in which politics and law are related at the international level as well as how this relationship operates and why it matters. You will also have the opportunity to conduct an in-depth investigation of the role of international law in a particular case study scenario. No prior knowledge of law is assumed. This is an international relations course, not a law course. One of its key objectives is to portray international law as a central element in relations between states. It does so by focusing on the interaction of law and politics in the international system.