International Law and Organization

PLS 437

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the subject of international law and organizations in the contemporary world. These subjects are broad, complex ones that are constantly shifting and evolving even as scholars try to develop theories to explain them and policy makers try to manage foreign policy from day to day. This course should provide the student with a solid background both in the major trends and issues of current world politics. This semester's issue theme is genocide.

Course Purpose

The course introduces upper level under-graduate students to the roles of international law and organizations in major transnational issues affecting global society. The first section of the course provides an overview of the international system. The second section covers international law, and the third and final section focuses on the United Nations and broadens the definition of international organizations to include non-governmental organizations.