OVERVIEW

The course will tackle topics of diplomatic and consular law. Main focus will be international and European Union source of law.

UN SDG: 16 (Rule of law and access to justice)

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, students will have acquired the methodological tools and specific, advanced skills of diplomatic law (international and European), will be able to understand and analyse current legal issues in diplomatic relations and will be able to develop autonomously and critically possible solutions to open questions.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at the acquisition of specific competences in the field of diplomatic and consular law, through the study of the rules existing at the international and regional level. In this context, students will acquire the necessary knowledge in order to comprehend and operate with the main rules governing diplomatic and consular relations and functions as codified in international instruments and developed in the practice. Particular attention will be given to topics such as immunities, diplomatic and consular protection, also in light of the most relevant case law. Particular attention will be given to the European Union as diplomatic and consular actor in the post-Lisbon treaty era.
These 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.

At the end of the course, the student will have to:

• acquire and use the correct terminology for the identification and description of the institutions and rules of diplomatic and consular law;
• describe the rules and institutions of diplomatic and consular law;
• understand the role of national, European and international institutions in the conduct of diplomatic and consular relations;
• critically analyze the main open issues that characterize the rules and institutions of diplomatic and consular law;
• know how to apply the knowledge acquired to practical cases, through the analysis of concrete examples.

On a voluntary basis, participation in presentation activities is intended to enable people to acquire team working and public speaking skills.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of International Law and European Union Law is required.

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching is given in person and is articulated in frontal lectures in which theoretical notions will be analyzed, followed by several examples. 

Didactic materials are uploaded on aulaweb. Students are encouraged to sign in in the webpage. 

On a voluntary basis, alongside theoretical lectures, interested persons (individually or in groups of two) 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'.

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.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course deals with:

The sources of Diplomatic and Consular Law
The Establishment and Events of Diplomatic and Consular Relations
Diplomatic and Consular Functions (with a focus on Diplomatic Protection)
The Diplomatic Cerimonial
Diplomatic and Consular Immunities and Privileges
Multilateral Diplomacy
European Union Diplomatic Relations and the European External Action Service.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Students attending classes:

- class notes plus C. Curti Gialdino, Diritto diplomatico-consolare internazionale ed europeo, Giappichelli, Torino, 2024, pages: 51-106 + 135-158 + 191-224 + 264-461.

Students not attending classes:

Carlo Curti Gialdino, Diritto diplomatico-consolare internazionale ed europeo, Giappichelli, Torino, 2024, pp. 51-106 + 135-158 + 191-224 + 264-461 + 657-744.

All slides and materials used during the lectures will be made available on aul@web.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lectures will start right after the conclusion of the module "Private international law" (99066). Who wishes to attend only the lectures of Diplomatic and Consular Law should consult the Aulaweb page of the course to keep updated. 

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of an oral interview and takes place in person. It usually consists of three questions on topics covered in class (or on topics covered in the teaching material for non-attending students).

Those who attend at least 2/3 of the lessons in person are given the opportunity to take the exam through a written test at the end of the course. The written test will be considered valid only until the last exam session in September of the academic year in which it was taken. After that date, the student will have to take the exam in oral form during the ordinary exam sessions.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam (written or oral) aims to verify the acquisition, by the student component, of in-depth knowledge in relation to the topics covered by the teaching. The objective is to assess whether the student component has acquired the ability to describe, with correct legal language, the rules and institutions of diplomatic and consular law, understanding the role of national, European and international institutions in the conduct of diplomatic and consular relations and possibly being able to apply the notions learned to concrete examples.

In particular, during the oral exam, you will be asked to illustrate the main notions learned during the course on certain topics and you will possibly be asked to critically comment on sentences and/or provisions examined during the course or that are part of the exam program.

The evaluation of the exam also takes into account the presentation methods, including the use of appropriate legal terminology, as well as the ability to critically analyze and personally rework the topics covered.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students are encouraged to subscribe to the Aulaweb page of the course in order to access communications and materials.