1
Law & Security Summary 2024 (Arun Sukumar)
Contents
The basics of law, and international law and security .................................................................................. 2
The role of the UN and relevant UN Charter articles.................................................................................... 7
The use of force in International Relations................................................................................................. 13
4 case studies of the UNSC ......................................................................................................................... 15
Non-state actors (NSA) and international law ............................................................................................ 23
Health security and Biowarfare .................................................................................................................. 28
AI and digital International Security ........................................................................................................... 35
Summary of all of the readings ................................................................................................................... 39
Glennon:.................................................................................................................................................. 39
Nasu: ....................................................................................................................................................... 41
Nasu Chapter 2........................................................................................................................................ 45
Rodiles:.................................................................................................................................................... 48
Higgins: .................................................................................................................................................... 50
Ruys, Corten & Hofer: ............................................................................................................................. 53
Brunnée & Toope: ................................................................................................................................... 72
Eggenschwiler & Kulesza:........................................................................................................................ 74
Bengtsson & Rhinard: ............................................................................................................................. 76
Fidler & Gostin: ....................................................................................................................................... 78
Smith and Wenham: ............................................................................................................................... 82
Moodie: ................................................................................................................................................... 84
Puscas:..................................................................................................................................................... 86
Mignot-Mahdavi: .................................................................................................................................... 87
Sukumar, Broeders, and Kello:................................................................................................................ 89
, 2
The basics of law, and international law and security
What is law?
- Normative social practice that regulates people’s behaviour
o A system of rules, norms, and order
o Unique social-political phenomenon: depends on context
- Law is enforced by government or other authoritative bodies with possible threats
of sanctions
Some reasons for law include
- Order and security
- Justice
- Ground rules and standard of conduct
- Framework for dispute settlement
- Facilitation of social and economic arrangements
- Protection of property
- Safeguarding well-being of community and individuals
Types and branches in law
- Private law: 2 private entities
- Public law: state – citizen
- International law: state – state → relevant for this course
The Rule of Law: “An appraisive concept pertaining to the legal restriction on coercive
powers exercised by the sovereign, with the non-discriminatory application of clear,
public, and prospective rules”
- Often called checks and balances
- Gives protection against the state and against one another
Formal sources: written down laws
• International treaties: multilateral/particular written agreements between states
that establish rules and oblige them to specific lawful codes of conduct
Material sources: not written down but rulings etc. to specify the interpretation of a law
, 3
• Customary law: consistent and widespread state practice followed out of a sense
of legal obligation
• General/universal principles: universal legal principles, such as equity, that
prevent judicial non liquet (denial of judgement due to a lack of law)
• Subsidiary means: referring to judicial decisions and the teachings of the most
highly qualified publicists
International security has a long history but for simplicity the ILS course starts in 1945
- End of WW2
- The charter for the United Nations was signed in San Francisco, creating the
UNSC.
o The only body that is allowed to use force
What is security?
- “The absence of anxiety and fear” - Cicero
o Is this really true for world politics?
o What is the goal of international law?
- “Absence of unjust violence” - Locke
- Traditional understanding vs. modern conceptions of security
- “A condition in which states consider that there is no danger of military attack,
political pressure or economic coercion - UN Independent Commission on
Disarmament and International Security (1983)
- Goal of the state → Political Survival and prevent intra-state conflict
International law and security
- Does international law have an existence independent from international politics?
- Is the “application of legal rules independent of political considerations and
natural morality” to security matters possible?
- Schachter: IL is an “instrument to meet changing ends and values”
o What are the underlying assumptions behind this statement?
Jus in bello: governs conduct during armed conflict (also known as International
Humanitarian Law; IHL)
- When does an armed conflict begin?
, 4
o Consistent force, a high number of casualties, and long duration of
violence
- Two types of armed conflicts:
o International armed conflict
▪ State vs. state
▪ Limits established through: Geneva Conventions and the Additional
Protocol 1
o Non-international armed conflict
▪ Armed groups vs. state
▪ Limits established through: Common Article 3 and Additional
Protocol II
o Armed conflict is not:
▪ Internal tensions/disturbances
▪ Isolated acts of violence
- Principles of IHL:
o Distinction: Parties of any armed conflict must distinguish between lawful
and unlawful targets in military operations
▪ Only attack lawful targets (combatants, civilians taking direct part in
hostilities, etc.)
o Proportionality: No excessive collateral damage
▪ Some collateral damage allowed but it should not be excessive to
the direct and anticipated military advantage
o Precaution: Warning civilians before military operations and not using
prohibited weapons which cause excessive harm
Securitisation: A process involving the presentation of an issue as an existential threat
(and its acceptance by a relevant audience) – Copenhagen School
- Presentation to whom?
- What is the role of international law in the securitisation of an issue?
- Is modern IL securitized?
- What are some of the non-traditional areas in which we have seen securitisation?
Role and responsibilities of states in global security
- States are the primary subjects (and objects) of international law
Law & Security Summary 2024 (Arun Sukumar)
Contents
The basics of law, and international law and security .................................................................................. 2
The role of the UN and relevant UN Charter articles.................................................................................... 7
The use of force in International Relations................................................................................................. 13
4 case studies of the UNSC ......................................................................................................................... 15
Non-state actors (NSA) and international law ............................................................................................ 23
Health security and Biowarfare .................................................................................................................. 28
AI and digital International Security ........................................................................................................... 35
Summary of all of the readings ................................................................................................................... 39
Glennon:.................................................................................................................................................. 39
Nasu: ....................................................................................................................................................... 41
Nasu Chapter 2........................................................................................................................................ 45
Rodiles:.................................................................................................................................................... 48
Higgins: .................................................................................................................................................... 50
Ruys, Corten & Hofer: ............................................................................................................................. 53
Brunnée & Toope: ................................................................................................................................... 72
Eggenschwiler & Kulesza:........................................................................................................................ 74
Bengtsson & Rhinard: ............................................................................................................................. 76
Fidler & Gostin: ....................................................................................................................................... 78
Smith and Wenham: ............................................................................................................................... 82
Moodie: ................................................................................................................................................... 84
Puscas:..................................................................................................................................................... 86
Mignot-Mahdavi: .................................................................................................................................... 87
Sukumar, Broeders, and Kello:................................................................................................................ 89
, 2
The basics of law, and international law and security
What is law?
- Normative social practice that regulates people’s behaviour
o A system of rules, norms, and order
o Unique social-political phenomenon: depends on context
- Law is enforced by government or other authoritative bodies with possible threats
of sanctions
Some reasons for law include
- Order and security
- Justice
- Ground rules and standard of conduct
- Framework for dispute settlement
- Facilitation of social and economic arrangements
- Protection of property
- Safeguarding well-being of community and individuals
Types and branches in law
- Private law: 2 private entities
- Public law: state – citizen
- International law: state – state → relevant for this course
The Rule of Law: “An appraisive concept pertaining to the legal restriction on coercive
powers exercised by the sovereign, with the non-discriminatory application of clear,
public, and prospective rules”
- Often called checks and balances
- Gives protection against the state and against one another
Formal sources: written down laws
• International treaties: multilateral/particular written agreements between states
that establish rules and oblige them to specific lawful codes of conduct
Material sources: not written down but rulings etc. to specify the interpretation of a law
, 3
• Customary law: consistent and widespread state practice followed out of a sense
of legal obligation
• General/universal principles: universal legal principles, such as equity, that
prevent judicial non liquet (denial of judgement due to a lack of law)
• Subsidiary means: referring to judicial decisions and the teachings of the most
highly qualified publicists
International security has a long history but for simplicity the ILS course starts in 1945
- End of WW2
- The charter for the United Nations was signed in San Francisco, creating the
UNSC.
o The only body that is allowed to use force
What is security?
- “The absence of anxiety and fear” - Cicero
o Is this really true for world politics?
o What is the goal of international law?
- “Absence of unjust violence” - Locke
- Traditional understanding vs. modern conceptions of security
- “A condition in which states consider that there is no danger of military attack,
political pressure or economic coercion - UN Independent Commission on
Disarmament and International Security (1983)
- Goal of the state → Political Survival and prevent intra-state conflict
International law and security
- Does international law have an existence independent from international politics?
- Is the “application of legal rules independent of political considerations and
natural morality” to security matters possible?
- Schachter: IL is an “instrument to meet changing ends and values”
o What are the underlying assumptions behind this statement?
Jus in bello: governs conduct during armed conflict (also known as International
Humanitarian Law; IHL)
- When does an armed conflict begin?
, 4
o Consistent force, a high number of casualties, and long duration of
violence
- Two types of armed conflicts:
o International armed conflict
▪ State vs. state
▪ Limits established through: Geneva Conventions and the Additional
Protocol 1
o Non-international armed conflict
▪ Armed groups vs. state
▪ Limits established through: Common Article 3 and Additional
Protocol II
o Armed conflict is not:
▪ Internal tensions/disturbances
▪ Isolated acts of violence
- Principles of IHL:
o Distinction: Parties of any armed conflict must distinguish between lawful
and unlawful targets in military operations
▪ Only attack lawful targets (combatants, civilians taking direct part in
hostilities, etc.)
o Proportionality: No excessive collateral damage
▪ Some collateral damage allowed but it should not be excessive to
the direct and anticipated military advantage
o Precaution: Warning civilians before military operations and not using
prohibited weapons which cause excessive harm
Securitisation: A process involving the presentation of an issue as an existential threat
(and its acceptance by a relevant audience) – Copenhagen School
- Presentation to whom?
- What is the role of international law in the securitisation of an issue?
- Is modern IL securitized?
- What are some of the non-traditional areas in which we have seen securitisation?
Role and responsibilities of states in global security
- States are the primary subjects (and objects) of international law
