Courses

United Nations Law & Practice State-Building & Int’l Administration Intelligence Law
By examining primary materials focused on the normative context within which the United Nations functions, students will develop an understanding of the interaction between law and practice. This is essential to a proper understanding of the UN Organization, but also to the possibilities and limitations of multilateral institutions more generally. The course is organized in four parts: “Relevance”, “Capacity”, “Practice”, and “Accountability”. A background in public international law is strongly recommended. Is it possible to establish the conditions for legitimate and sustainable national governance through a period of benevolent foreign autocracy? This seminar explores the emergence of international administration of territory from colonial administration and military occupation to more recent efforts to govern post-conflict territories. This new governance practice makes it important to analyse and refine the rules and institutions that channel and constrain the exercise of such powers, and to strengthen the remedies available when it is abused. This course examines national and international legal regulation of the secret intelligence activities of states. It ranges from historical treatment of spies under the laws of war, to national constraints of contemporary signals intelligence. National case studies will include the United States and Britain. Underlying theoretical questions include the appropriateness of constraints on executive power in times of crisis, and how law that must be public can and should handle activities whose nature must often be kept secret.

Reading Guide

 

Reading Guide

 

Reading Guide 2018

Introduction and Chapter 1

 

Materials for first two classes

 

Materials for first class