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Unit of study_

LAWS6219: International Criminal Law

2022 unit information

International criminal law concerns the prosecution of individuals, mostly military and political leaders, for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression. After being first enforced in the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals after World War II, international criminal law has experienced a resurgence in the past twenty-five years. Today, trials under international criminal law are underway at the International Criminal Court, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, and the mechanism that is finishing cases that began in the international criminal tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. This unit provides a foundational knowledge of the principles of international criminal law, with reference to both historic and ongoing trials. Students will consider the roles of investigators, prosecutors, victims, lawyers, defence, judges, and States in international criminal justice, and will consider controversies and challenges facing international criminal courts and tribunals today. The elements of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, modes of liability and defences will be covered, with case studies on sexual violence crimes and the use of child soldiers. The unit also considers the interaction between the International Criminal Court, national governments, and the United Nations Security Council.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Law

Code LAWS6219
Academic unit Law
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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LAWS6896
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand, and be able to explain, relevant rules and principles of international criminal law
  • LO2. paraphrase legal documents including judgments and filings of international courts
  • LO3. communicate legal concepts in a clear and succinct manner in oral and written form
  • LO4. demonstrate legal problem skills solving in international law, including the capacity to analyse fact patterns, identify relevant legal issues, apply relevant legal tests, and reach a reasoned conclusion.
  • LO5. identify interesting legal or political issues raised by an ongoing trial for international crimes
  • LO6. critically assess claims about international criminal law

Unit availability

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There are no availabilities for this year.
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1b 2022
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1b 2022
Block mode Remote

Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.