Law in War

This course examines how domestic and international legal institutions regulate the law of war, crimes against humanity, torture, and genocide, and the main legal theories that lawyers and judges use to address their violation. Students are introduced to the key statutes, treaties, and cases that govern these topics. While historical case studies, such as accusations of war crimes against US troops in Haditha, Iraq, in 2008; the international trial of Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg; and the 1968 massacre at My Lai in Vietnam are addressed, a focus is on the practice and procedure of the International Criminal Court and other judicial organs. Students are also asked to apply legal theories on individual accountability and command responsibility to emerging technological developments in warfare, such as the use of artificial intelligence.