paper assignment 23

PO 375 International Law

Paper Assignment

Each student will complete two papers for this class.For this assignment you will research a historic/classic case OR current issue in international law.A list of classic cases can be found at the beginning of the Cassese textbook or look at cases at the UN’s Permanent Court of Arbitration https://pca-cpa.org/en/home/.News events in international law occur regularly in the news.Like the Venezuelan Diplomat’s murder by a fellow diplomat in Kenya, or possibly be a recent UN Security Council resolution, convention, treaty etc.A great place to find current issues is the American Society of International Law website: http://www.asil.org/insights.cfm, but you may also run across an issue while reading the news.These papers should be four to five pages in length, double-spaced, 12 pt font, and 1” margins.

Outline due 4/20

Paper due 4/15

Format for Current Issue Paper: In the introduction tell the reader what the paper is about and, in one sentence if possible, what the issue is concerning and legal principles that it is related to (sovereign immunity, a specific jus cogens, maritime laws, peace, diplomacy etc.).Then in the body explain the issue concerned, when did it happen, who (people and/or States) was involved, whether or not the issue is resolved and how it was resolved.If you are writing about a new treaty or convention, tell the reader what the purpose of the treaty is, what States are involved, and ratification of treaty.The conclusion should briefly summarize what you wrote in the body of the paper.Make sure to include references for any materials you used to help write the paper (should have at least 4 to 5 sources).Each paper is worth 10% of your grade.

Current Event in International Law:

For this assignment you can report on a current issue in international law.This may be either a news event like the Venezuelan Diplomat’s murder by a fellow diplomat in Kenya, or may be a recent UN Security Council resolution, convention, treaty etc.A great place to find current issues is the American Society of International Law website: http://www.asil.org/insights.cfm, but you may also run across an issue while reading the news. These papers should be 3 to 4 pages in length, double-spaced, 12 pt font, and 1” margins.

Some ideas for contemporary issues paper:

South China Seas

Whaling

Russia Annexation of Crimea

Russian bridge to Crimea

Julian Assange—Ecuadorian Embassy

ICTY—International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia—Pick a cases

ICTC—International Criminal Tribunal for Cambodia—Pick some cases

Edward Snowden—refuge in Russia

Austria requires Pres. Morales’s plane to land

US, Venezuela, and Aruba Drug Arrest

Venezuela diplomat’s murder in Kenya

Attack and murder of US diplomats in Benghazi

Libyan Embassy Shooting in London of Protestors

US Arrest of former Intelligence chief in Venezuela

Land grab Antarctica

Kenyan Pres. and ICC charges

Pres. of Sudan and ICC charges

Argentina debt and US Hedge Funds

US funding of Nicaraguan Contras

US drone attacks

US Guantanamo Bay Prisoners

Israel and Palestine (PLO—national liberation movement?; the Israeli wall; allegations of war crimes in last conflict)

US Spy in Italy

Piracy off African Coasts

International Criminal Court—pick a case

Afghan Red Cross workers killed by IS

Syria hanging of prisoners

Gas and chemical weapons used in Syria

Qatar workers condition (ILO)

Refugees (Convention on Refugees)—US legalities

Saudi Arabia blockade of Yemen

Human Rights and Saudi Arabia

China human rights attorney and US Embassy

Egypt murder of Italian Doctoral Student

Human Rights abuses in North Korea

Issue of Statelessness—people without a citizenship

Egypt and Human Rights, jailing of Americans etc.

Convention Against Torture

International Committee of the Red Cross—work in human rights and war zones

International Labor Organization—rights, work, Child Labor, working conditions

Paris Climate Change Agreement

Treaties—pick one and investigate

Refugee Crisis—pick a place

Cases of Grave Breaches of Geneva Conventions