INTRODUCTION

Today the world has become one place known as the global village. With the movement of capital through FDI and other channels and movements of people for various reasons, it has become imperative for a standardization of values and norms at global level. With the need to maintain global peace and security for the good of mankind, a need arise for a customary system of law to regulate relations among states. International law therefore comes in handy in bridging the geographical divide that separates the countries and creating a global network of countries. This module therefore examines the extent to which international law brings the global community closer to itself and how international cooperation has been enhanced. It examines the institutions established for the realization of a global community such as the United Nations and it agencies and what their mandates are etc.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this module are:

• To explain what international law is
• To examine the origins of international law
• To identify and explain the sources of international law
• To examine the effectiveness of international law in meeting its objectives
• To identify international institutions established under the auspice of the United Nations
• To examine the coercive nature of international law in domestic jurisdictions
• To examine the place of international law in domestic jurisdictions

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module you should be able to:

• Know and explain what international law is
• Know and explain the development of the concept of international law
• Identify and explain what the sources of international law are
• Critically examine the effectiveness of international law in meeting its objectives
• Identify and explain the international institutions under the United Nations
• Critically analyse the coercive nature of international law in domestic jurisdictions
• Critically examine the relationship between international law and domestic law 

UNIT 1 – INTERNATIONAL LAW: AN INTRODUCTION

UNIT 2 – SOURCES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

UNIT 3 – APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW 

UNIT 4 – DIPLOMATS AND CONSULAR UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

UNIT 5 – INTERNATIONAL LAW AND DOMESTIC LAW

UNIT 6 – STATES AND RECOGNITION UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW

UNIT 7 – INTERNATIONAL LAW OF THE SEA

UNIT 8 – INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

UNIT 9 – THE UN AND MAINTENANCE OF WORLD PEACE AND SECURITY

 

RECOMMENDED READING:

Giliker Paula. (2015) Cases and Materials on International Law. London: Sweet and Maxwell

Shaw Malcom N. (2017). International Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press