Leader: Dr Gideon Boas

Offered

City (Melbourne) First semester 2008 (Evening)

Synopsis

This subject will explore how the international community has responded to the most heinous international crimes, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, aggression, serious human rights abuses and terrorism, in the context of selected events in modern history. The successes and failures in enforcement of international crimes by States and in international tribunals and the International Criminal Court, will be considered, as will the future of international criminal justice.

Objectives

The main objectives of the subject will be to:

1. develop students' understanding of the application of international law regimes to these crimes, including international concepts of individual criminal responsibility and comprehension of the basic rules of international criminal law, and specific relevant areas of international humanitarian law and human rights law;
2. enable students to analyse the main definitional issues in respect of the international crimes studied and the legal regimes in which they are applied;
3. ensure students can critically analyse the extent, consistency, and adequacy of the international community's response to international crime, comparing and contrasting the variety of such responses;
4. develop students' understanding of international and internationalised criminal tribunals and the permanent international criminal court;
5. enable students to evaluate the rights of victims/survivors and other stakeholders of international crimes;
6. develop students' understanding of the differing and complex obligations of States in respect of international and domestic responses to such crimes.

Assessment

Take-home exam :50% and Research assignment - 3,750: 50% OR Research assignment of 7,500 words: 100%.