Helsinki, Finland

International Tribunals and Global Legal Order

This course examines the major international tribunals and world courts for adjudication and settling disputes in the global legal order. Students will be introduced to the major international tribunals; jurisdiction; the procedures, selection and adjudication of cases; methods of alternative dispute settlements such as diplomatic and peaceful settlement of disputes for states; accession and exist from international tribunals, and other salient aspects of international tribunals in the global legal order. Moreover, the course will examine how the different actors before international tribunals, such as states, third parties including non-state actors leverage their role for the outcome of a particular dispute. The course will question the necessity of international tribunals for the global legal order in light of ‘low’ participation rate of major states as disputants in selected tribunals. The course will examine how politics, advocacy and interests, on the one hand undermines international tribunals and their ruling, and on the other, examine how international tribunals effectively dispense ‘justice’ for states which are able to use the various mechanisms of international tribunals to their advantage. Some of the major tribunals which the course will examine questions relating to diplomacy, politics, socialization, provisional measures, jurisdiction and adjudication include the International Court of Justice (ICJ); International Criminal Court (ICC); World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body /DSB); International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS); Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA); ICSID; Inter American Court of Human Rights, and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Course leader

P. Sean Morris

Target group

This course targets primarily students with a master degree in law although those who have completed two years of university studies can participate. Moreover, students with interest in public international law and international diplomacy will find the course appealing.

Course aim

The course will equip students a general understanding of how the legal regime for international tribunals operates within the broader space of international law, and students will also gain knowledge on the normative and substantive developments of world courts and society.

Fee info

EUR 1500: Fee covers course registration, administration, welcome cocktail, and graduation dinner.