OVERVIEW

The course, held in English, requires previous knowledge of fundamental elements of public international law and wishes to deepen the principles, the organs, the functions and the acts of the most important international organisations, amongst which particular relevance will be given to the United Nations.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course, students will acquire advanced knowledge and methodological competences concerning the structure and functioning of the major international governmental organizations; will understand complex legal situations, and will have the means for critical independent legal thinking and propose innovative solutions

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The first part of the classes will provide students with methodological instruments and theoretical foundations necessary to understand, contextualize - also with a policy-making and problems solving perspective, the functioning of international organizations.

In the second part, the knowledge acquired will be applied in the analysis of the UN system. In considering the UN system specific attention will be devoted to the rules concerning the use of force.

Individual study, attendance and participation in the proposed educational activities will enable the students to:

• Recall, identify and understand the fundamental principles governing the structure and functioning of international organizations (in particular, the United Nations);
• Identify and analyze the sources of international law that oversee the functioning of international organizations and their relations in the international community, as well as understand and apply the rules derived from them with specific reference to the United Nations;
• Understand and analyze the mutual coordination of sources of international law on the subject;
• Understand and critically evaluate the main issues in contemporary public international law, with particular reference to issues of concern to the United Nations;
• Identify and apply the main reference norms in the above subjects, including through analysis of concrete issues that have occurred in the international community;
• Read and critically examine, with independent judgment, scholarly articles, texts of judgments of international courts; measures of international organizations;
• Express oneself in appropriate technical legal language.
• On a voluntary basis, participation in presentation activities is intended to enable people to acquire team working and public speaking skills

Those skills will enable students to best fit into international professional contexts, through the acquisition of knowledge appropriate to professional profiles within the diplomatic career, international and European organizations and institutions, as well as in other public and private actors and entities operating in the international context.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and exams will be held in presence and in English. 

All lecturer’s communication will be done via Aulaweb.  

The course consists of face-to-face in-person lectures for a total of 36 hours (equivalent to 6 credits CFU/ECTS), during which theoretical notions will be contextualised in the light of practical (historical and/or current) cases. Occasionally, guests may be invited for in-depth and/or professionalizing lectures

OPEN BADGE: On a voluntary basis, alongside theoretical lectures, interested persons (individually or in groups) will be able to present rulings assigned by the lecturer to deepen general topics and develop team working and public speaking skills, obtaining a specific open badge in 'transversal skills'

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course deepens the study of the rules and provisions concerning the functioning of international organisations in general and of the United Nations in particular. 

The course - in English - aims to deepen the study of the rules that regulate the functioning of international organizations.

In particular, in the first part of the course, the profiles that characterize all international organizations and that make up the cd will be considered in a “horizontal” perspective. law of international organizations. Particular attention will be devoted to:

- the institutions/organs of the  international organizations,

- the acquisition of  membership,

- the decision-making powers and the adoption of regulatory acts.

In the second part of the course, the UN system will be considered in detail.

More precisely, the following topics will be analyzed:

- mission of the UN

- membership, 

- institutional framework

- powers and competences

- the rules on  the use of force.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Students attending classes can choose to use one of the following supporting texts:

In English:

- J. Klabbers, An Introduction to International Organizations Law, 2022, Cambridge University Press (limited to the topics covered in class) 

- B. Conforti – C. Focarelli, The law and practice of the United Nations, 2016, Brill (limited to the topics covered in class) 

In Italian see also:

B. Conforti . C. Focarelli, Le Nazioni Unite, CEDAM, Padova, 2023 (limited to the topics covered in class) 

----

Students not attending classes can choose to use one of the following supporting texts:

In English:

J. Klabbers, An Introduction to International Organizations Law, 2022, Cambridge University Press (chapters from 1 to 9). 

- B. Conforti – C. Focarelli, The law and practice of the United Nations, 2016, Brill.

In Italian see also:

B. Conforti . C. Focarelli, Le Nazioni Unite, CEDAM, 2023. 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

STEFANO DOMINELLI (President)

FRANCESCA MAOLI (President Substitute)

LAURA CARPANETO (Substitute)

MARIA ELENA DE MAESTRI (Substitute)

CLARA PASTORINO (Substitute)

FRANCESCO PESCE (Substitute)

ILARIA QUEIROLO (Substitute)

PIETRO SANNA (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lessons will start on Tuesday 11th February 2025

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is oral, and held in English. Three questions are usually asked and the exam lasts approximately 15 minutes.

Students attending at least 75% of classes can alternatively be examined withdiscussion of the topics and written tests (multiple choice and/or open questions).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Both the oral and written exams are aimed at verifying the actual knowledge and acquisition of the theoretical concepts covered during the teaching, as well as the ability to understand and apply the relevant standards to specific issues. Through general theoretical questions and the proposal of practical cases and problems-which, for those attending the lectures, always draw from the teaching activity carried out in class-will test whether the student component is able to:

- recall, identify, distinguish and understand the subjects the rules governing the structure and functioning of international organizations and in particular the United Nations;

- identify, understand and apply the main normative provisions governing international relations of international organizations and their operation;

- identify and define legal concepts, understanding technical legal language;

- recall, identify, distinguish, understand and critically comment on major current issues pertaining to the application of the rules of international law governing the functioning of international organizations and in particular the United Nations. 

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students are encouraged to subscribe to the Aulaweb page of the course to access relevant information and materials. 

Students who have duly filed a certification of DSA, disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact both the contact person Prof. Aristide Canepa (aristide.canepa@unige.it) and the lecturer at the beginning of the course, in order to agree on teaching and examination methods that, while respecting the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods and provide suitable compensatory tools.