Supervision and teaching

Course code

Units

Course name

Level

Duration

LAWS4114

2

Advanced Research

undergraduate

semester long

LAWS5183

2

Research Project A

undergraduate

semester long

LAWS7825

2

Supervised Research Project

postgraduate

semester long

LAWS7944

4

Dissertation A

postgraduate

semester long

LAWS7826

4

Dissertation B

postgraduate

year long

LAWS7701

8

Major Dissertation A

postgraduate

semester long

LAWS7718

8

Major Dissertation B

postgraduate

year long

Course code

Units

Course name

Level

Duration

LAWS7711

2

Law of Armed Conflict

postgraduate

semester long

The law of armed conflict (LOAC), also referred to as international humanitarian law or the law of war, is the branch of international law that regulates conduct during armed conflict. LOAC seeks to restrict the use of violence to what is necessary to attain legitimate military ends and to protect from harm persons and objects not involved in the hostilities.

This course seeks to place LOAC within the framework of international law by showing its relationship to other areas of that law, principally the rules prohibiting the resort to force in international relations, as well as other rules that deal with the protection of the individual, such as human rights law.

The course will cover the key principles and rules governing the conduct of hostilities, including targeting decisions and the choice of weapons, means and methods of warfare. It will also address the principles and rules relating to the protection of particular categories of individuals and objects.

The course will conclude with an examination of the various means of ensuring compliance with LOAC, including a brief overview the general principles of international criminal law.

LAWS7724

2

Current Issues in International Law (Public): Technology and National Security

postgraduate

semester long

In this course, students will be introduced to the legal implications of the use of emerging military technologies. Under the themes of cyber, sensing, robotics, artificial intelligence and biotechnologies, the subject will grapple with how law constrains or enables the use of these technologies, particularly by State armed forces. It will primarily focus on the application of international law but will also refer to domestic law as a point of comparison.

Students will complete an individual research project on a specific emerging technology of interest, identifying and analysing the key legal issues surrounding the use of that technology. It offers students an opportunity to reflect on the relationships between law and military technology.