BMET 23A28 - International Law Theories
BMET 23A28 · Fall semester 2026-2027
- Language of tuition
- English
- Course type
- Atelier
- Number of hours
- 24
- Credits
- 3
Information
Description
This is an introductory course to international legal theory. Starting with a historical study of the evolution of international legal thought, the course explores the theories of international law, focusing on different schools of thought, movements, and trends in the discipline. From the classical dichotomy between natural law approaches and legal positivism, to more recent critical, global, and interdisciplinary perspectives, the course examines the different lenses through which international legal theory views the world, affecting or reflecting legal practice. While exploring the full spectrum of international legal theories, the course revisits the most fundamental themes of international law: questions of legality and legitimacy, questions of universality, neutrality, and justice.
Assessment
Readings
Main readings 3
-
Andrea Bianchi, International Law Theories: An Inquiry into Different Ways of Thinking, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2016
-
Emmanuel Roucounas, A Landscape of Contemporary Theories of International Law, Leiden, Brill Nijhoff, 2019
-
Malcolm N. Shaw, international Law, 10th edn, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2026
Further readings 5
-
Alexander Orakhelashvili (ed.), Research Handbook on the Theory and History of International Law, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2011
-
Anne Orford and Florian Hoffmann (eds), The Oxford Handbook of the Theory of International Law, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2016
-
Jean d’Aspremont, Epistemic Forces in International Law: Foundational Doctrines and Techniques of International Legal Argumentation, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2015
-
Jeffrey L. Dunoff and Mark A. Pollack (eds), International Legal Theory: Foundations and Frontiers, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022
-
Rosana Deplano and Nicholas Tsagourias (eds), Research Methods in International Law: A Handbook, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2021
Teaching units
| Unit no. | Unit type | Teaching units | Teachers | Number of hours | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18792 | Atelier | International Law Theories | Evangelia ALEXIOU | 24 | 3 |
Teachers
- Evangelia ALEXIOU
In the curricula
- SCIENCES PO UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE, Menton campus, Academic year 2026-2027, Semester 3COLLÈGE UNIVERSITAIRE - CAMPUS MENTON
Contacts and resources
- Contact
- BELUSSI Federica