Students
LAWS2000 – International Law
2024 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Marie-Eve Loiselle
Lecturer
Constantinos Yiallourides
Tutor
Daley Birkett
Tutor
Ashleigh Barnes
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| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
60cp including LEX101 or LAWS1010 or LAW115 or LAWS1000
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces public international law's key principles, rules, and concepts, examining how they shape contemporary international relations. It addresses the formation of international law, exploring particularly the processes of treaty negotiation and creation, and the development of customary international law. The unit explores the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis each other, their own nationals and those of other states, the limits of state jurisdiction, state and diplomatic immunity, international dispute settlement, international use of force. The unit also examines the impact of international law on the Australian legal system. In covering these areas students explore how international law seeks to resolve real problems facing the international community. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- ULO2: Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- ULO3: Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
- ULO4: Analyse international law from the perspective of national interests, and understand how to negotiate the terms of an international treaty or other instrument.
General Assessment Information
Late penalty policy
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55 pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to non-timed sensitive assessments (including essays, reports, posters, portfolios, journals, recordings etc).
Late submission of time-sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs etc) will only be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special Consideration application. Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.
Submission instructions
Students should carefully check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no resubmissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file in error.
Word limits will be strictly applied and work above the word limit will not be marked. Footnotes are only to be used for referencing. Substantive material in footnotes will not be marked.
All assessments in the unit are to be submitted electronically via Turnitin. Plagiarism detection software is used in this unit.
All assessments must be appropriately referenced, applying the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th ed). The Guide is available here <https://law.unimelb.edu.au/mulr/aglc>.
Assessments must be submitted in Word and must employ double (i.e., 2.0) spaced text and 12 point, Times New Roman font. Headings and subheadings should be used where appropriate.
Markers in this unit undertake a process to establish a common marking standard and all Fail papers are double-marked.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class participation | 20% | No | Ongoing |
| Professional Skills Task | 40% | No | 23:55, Thursday 18 April, 2024 |
| Take-home assessment task | 40% | No | 14:00-17:00, Thursday, June 6, 2024 |
Class participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 20%
Participation in the weekly tutorials
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
- Analyse international law from the perspective of national interests, and understand how to negotiate the terms of an international treaty or other instrument.
Professional Skills Task
Assessment Type 1: Professional writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 23:55, Thursday 18 April, 2024
Weighting: 40%
This task will focus on a particular professional skill relevant to international law. Students will research and produce a piece of writing typical of the legal profession such as a brief, a judgment, submissions or law reform analysis.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
Take-home assessment task
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 14:00-17:00, Thursday, June 6, 2024
Weighting: 40%
A timed assessment task covering the unit content
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate broad and coherent knowledge of the general characteristics and principles of public international law, and the ability to locate, interpret, and apply primary sources of international law.
- Examine the role, rights and responsibilities of both states and non-state actors under international law, and the ways in which the international legal system is evolving.
- Explain and apply international law to both actual and hypothetical situations as it relates to the rights and responsibilities of states vis-a-vis other states and international institutions.
- Analyse international law from the perspective of national interests, and understand how to negotiate the terms of an international treaty or other instrument.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Prescribed textbook for this unit:
Cecily Rose et al., Introduction to Public International Law, Cambridge University Press 2022.
A limited number of hard copies are available in the MQ Library. Other essential and recommended readings will be provided via Leganto and iLearn.
Delivery:
There is a weekly one-hour face-to-face lecture and one-hour asynchronous online lecture from weeks 1 to 12. Face-to-face lectures will be recorded. Students are expected to attend and listen to the lectures and work their way through the other materials on a weekly basis. All lecture recordings and associated slides will be accessible through iLearn.
There is a weekly one-hour face-to-face tutorial from week 1.
Unit Schedule
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Week |
Lecture |
Required Readings |
Assessment |
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1 |
What is Public International Law? |
Rose et al, Ch 1 |
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2 |
Sources of International Law |
Rose et al, Ch 2 |
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3 |
Relations of International and National Law |
Shaw, International Law (6th edn, CUP 2008) Ch 4 (access on leganto) Charlesworth et al, 'Deep Anxieties: Australia and the International Legal Order' (2003) 25 Sydney Law Review 423 |
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4 |
The Law of Treaties |
Rose et al, Ch 4 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. |
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5 |
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Rose et al, Ch 3 |
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6 |
Jurisdiction |
Rose et al, Ch 6 |
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7 |
Immunities |
Rose et al, Ch 7 |
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8 |
State Responsibility |
Rose et al, Ch 5 |
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Mid-session break
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Professional Skills Task due 23:55, Thursday, April 18, 2024 |
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9 |
International Dispute Settlement |
Rose et al, Ch 9 |
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10 |
The Use of Force |
Rose et al, Ch 9 Birkett, 'Another Hole in the Wall'. The latter is available via Leganto. |
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11 |
Collective Security & Enforcement |
Shaw, Chapter 22 |
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12 |
Cross-cutting Issues |
TBC |
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13 |
Revision week |
No lecture |
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EXAM PERIOD |
Take Home Exam: 14:00-17:00, 6 June, 2024 |
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Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
The Writing Centre
The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.
- Workshops
- Chat with a WriteWISE peer writing leader
- Access StudyWISE
- Upload an assignment to Studiosity
- Complete the Academic Integrity Module
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:
- IT Support
- Accessibility and disability support with study
- Mental health support
- Safety support to respond to bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault
- Social support including information about finances, tenancy and legal issues
- Student Advocacy provides independent advice on MQ policies, procedures, and processes
Student Enquiries
Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Unit information based on version 2024.03 of the Handbook