Learning objectives
The course aims at providing students with basic notions of Public International Law. At the end of the course, students will be able
- to recognize, interpret and properly apply international norms to the relations between States and within the national legal system;
- to further an autonomous study of other sectors of International Law;
- to apply the acquired knowledge to practical cases and to support arguments
Prerequisites
The exams of the following courses are propaedeutic to the exam of Public International Law: Roman Law Institutions, Constitutional Law, Private Law Institutions.
The exam of Public International Law is propaedeutic to any other exam of courses belonging to the scientific sectors IUS/13 and IUS/14.
Course unit content
General features of International Law:
- notion of International Law;
- subjects: States, intergovernmental organizations, other entities;
- individuals as entities having rights and duties under International Law.
The maintenance of international peace and security and the prohibition of the use of force.
Sources of International Law:
- treaties and the law of treaties;
- general rules of International Law.
State responsibility for internationally wrongful acts
Settlement of international disputes
Incorporation of International Law into national legal systems
Full programme
Some key documents (e.g. the United Nations Charter, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and the Draft Articles of the International Law Commission on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts) are available in English on the Elly Platform. Students with weak English skills may find the same documents, in the Italian translation, in: Luzzatto and Pocar (eds.), Code of public international law, Giappichelli editore, Turin, most recent ed.
Bibliography
Students attending courses (i.e. students who have attended at least 85% of in-person lessons):
E. Cannizzaro, Diritto internazionale, Fourth ed., Giappichelli, Torino, 2018, except the parties that will be specified during the course.
Please note that any notes personally taken by a student in class must be integrated with the study of the previously mentioned handbook. Furthermore, no handouts by the Public International Law course have been authorized by Professor Pineschi.
Non-attending students:
T. Scovazzi (ed.), Corso di Diritto internazionale, Parte I, Terza ed., Giuffrè, Milano, 2018, Chapter I (only sections: 1,2, 3, 4; 13 and 14; 17, 18, 19) and Chapter II;
and
T. Scovazzi (ed.), Corso di Diritto internazionale, Part II, Terza ed., Giuffrè, Milano, 2022, Chapter I (except sections 35-36); Chapter II (except sections 16 and 17); Chapter III (except sections 10 and11).
Teaching methods
Taught lessons: 48 hours
Seminars: 6 hours
During seminars, students shall analyze and discuss international documents and case-law available at the Elly Platform.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral examination.
Knowledge and understanding will be assessed with two questions aimed at verifying the effective knowledge of the basic notions of international law.
The ability to apply knowledge and independence of judgment will be assessed by inviting the student to discuss the acquired notions also in the light of concrete cases.
The ability to communicate will be assessed by evaluating the student's ability to provide exhaustive definitions, use appropriate terminology and clarify the meaning of particular expressions or concepts.
Learning skills will be assessed through an overall assessment of the answers given to the proposed questions.
Other information
Some topics will be covered with the participation of invited experts in the field, i.e. lawyers, judges, diplomats, international officials, national and foreign University professors, members of NGOs.
