Utrecht, Netherlands

Introduction to Public International Law

The summer course 'Introduction to PIL' looks at the role of public international law in responding to today's global challenges. Together we will examine the nature and function of international law, its sources and subjects, international dispute settlement, questions of jurisdiction and immunities, state responsibility, enforcement and its capacity to deal with new and emerging actors.

Public international law is the branch of law that regulates the relationship between the actors operating at the international level, including states, international organizations, peoples, and individuals. In this summer school, the history of international law, general tenets and fundamental rules, its sources and its subjects will be examined. We will discuss how international law empowers and limits its subjects, and how those subjects shape international law in turn, for example by looking at the law of state responsibility, jurisdiction and enforcement.

This course also invites participants to discuss present-day challenges of global interest, such as climate change, global inequality and modern armed conflict. We will reflect on the capacity of international law to deal with these challenges, and accommodate actors traditionally not considered subjects of international law (armed groups, corporations, individuals, et cetera). In doing so, there is also room to explore historic injustices that have become engrained in international law doctrine. Altogether, the summer school aims to provide students with an impression of international law not as a static field, but as a developing, dynamic framework.

Course leader

Prof. dr. Cedric Ryngaert

Target group

The summer course is highly recommended for prospective students of our LLM in Public International Law, who do not yet have a background in (international) law.

Fee info

EUR 600: Course + course materials
EUR 200: Housing fee (optional)