SEMESTER VI COURSE-: CPC AND LIMITATION LAW FACULTY VIVEK WILSON

COURSE OUTLINE
OF

PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW

B.A.LL.B. (HONS.)

SEMESTER-: V
BATCH-: 2020-25

SESSION-JUNE –OCTOBER, 2022

FACULTY-:
VIVEK WILSON (Principal faculty)
SUGAT TAJANE ( Teaching assistant)

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S.No. Contents
Pg. No.

1.
3
Objectives of the course
2.
Proposed teaching schedule 3
3.
Detailed course-outline 4
4.
Prescribed/Recommended readings 6
5.
Teaching methodology 9
6.
Evaluation pattern 9
7.
Tentative Dates for Submission of Project, Mid-Term 10
and End Term Examination

8.
Important Instruction to the students 10

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 SEMESTER VI COURSE-: CPC AND LIMITATION LAW FACULTY VIVEK WILSON

1.0 OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

The course aims to present a panorama of public international law, which covers
principles and rules that govern the relations between States and the latter’s
interactions with other international actors. The course is designed to give students
a global understanding of the rules governing international relations and, ultimately,
provide them with practical skills in legal reasoning and arguing, research and
writing on international issues. The course will start with an introduction to the
international legal order, including a presentation of the specificities of international
law as compared to domestic law. It will then focus on core areas of public
international law which involve the following questions: Who are the actors in the
international legal system and to whom does international law apply? How is
international law created and where can it be found? What are the fundamental
principles of public international law, besides the multitude of international rules,
with a special focus on one of them, namely the prohibition of the use of force?
Finally, in case of breaches of international rules, how does international law react
to such breaches?

2.0 PROPOSED TEACHING SCHEDULE

MODULE
MODULE NO. OF
CLASSES
Nature and Development of International Law
1 2
Sources of International Law
2 2
Relationship between International Law and Municipal Law
3 2
Subjects of International Law
4 2

5 Recognition of States 6
State Territory and State Succession
6 6
State Jurisdiction
7 6
State Immunities and Privileges
8 6
Law of State Responsibility
9 6
Law of Treaties
10 6
Settlement of Disputes 6
11
International Human Rights Law 5
12
International Institutions 5
13

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SEMESTER VI COURSE-: CPC AND LIMITATION LAW FACULTY VIVEK WILSON

3.0 DETAILED COURSE OUTLINE

Module 1 : Nature and Development of International Law

1. Meaning and Definition of International Law
2. Theoretical Basis of International Law - Natural law Theory, Positive
Law Theory, Grotius Theory and Consent theory
3. Historical perspective of International Law - Codification of
International Law, Work of International Law Commission
Module 2: Sources of International Law
1. Statute of the International Court of Justice, 1945 (Article 38) -
International Treaties and Conventions, International Custom, General
Principles of Law Recognized by Civilized Nations, Judicial Decisions of
International and National Courts, and Juristic Opinion
2. Other Sources of International Law - Resolutions of General Assembly,
Resolutions of Security Council
Module 3 : Relationship between International Law and Municipal
Law
1. Theoretical Perspectives - Monistic Theory, Dualistic Theory,
Transformation theory, Delegation Theory, and Specific Adoption theory
2. Practice of States - United Kingdom, United States of America and
India
Module 4: Subjects of International Law
1. Meaning and Definition of State
2. Kinds of Different States in International Law – Sovereign States, Semi
Sovereign States, Protectorate, Vassal, Trust Territories, Special type of
States - Holy State and Neutralized States
3. Individuals as subjects and object of Public International Law
4. Role and Status of Multi National Companies
Module 5: Recognition of States
1. Meaning and Significance of Recognition
2. Theories of Recognition - Constitutive Theory, Declarative Theory,
Stimson Doctrine and Estrada Doctrine
3. Types of Recognition - De-facto, and De-jure.
Module 6: State Territory and State Succession
1. Meaning and Definition of State Territory
2. Types of Acquiring and Loss of State Territory – Occupation,
Prescription, Accretion, Cession, Dismemberment, Retrocession (The
Case of Hong Kong)
3. Meaning and Concept of State Succession - Difference between State
Succession and Succession of Governments
4. States Succession to Treaties – Membership of International
Organizations Recent Developments, State succession to Public Property,
Torts, Debts, and Archives
5. Theories of State Succession to Treaties - Theory of Universal
Succession, Theory of Negativism, Contemporary Theories (Neo-
Universalism and Neo-Negativism), and Theory of Gestation (Nyerere
Doctrine).

Module 7 : State Jurisdiction

1. Territorial Jurisdiction - Civil and Criminal jurisdiction, Universal

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SEMESTER VI COURSE-: CPC AND LIMITATION LAW FACULTY VIVEK WILSON

Jurisdiction, Extra territorial Jurisdiction of State

2. State Jurisdiction and State Territory-Land Territory -National Waters
Territorial sea-Contiguous zone-Exclusive Economic Zone—Air and
Outer Space – obligations of states under outer space Treaty 1966
3. Jurisdiction based on Nationality - Modes of Acquiring and Losing
Nationality, Double Nationality, and Nationality of Married Women -
Indian position
4. Meaning and Significance of Statelessness - Role of UNHCR
5. Meaning and Definition of Extradition - Types of offenders and Process
of Extradition
6. Definition and Significance of Asylum - Territorial and Extra-
Territorial Asylum.
Module 8: State Immunities and Privileges
1. State Immunity - Absolute theory and Restrictive Theory of Immunity,
Views of the International Law Commission, and Waiver of Immunity
2. Significance and Functions of Diplomatic Agents and Classification of
Diplomatic Agents
3. Immunities and Privileges of Diplomatic Agents - Inviolability of
Diplomatic Agents
4. Inviolability of Premises - Immunity from local, Civil, Administrative
and Criminal Jurisdiction, Immunity from Taxes and Custom Duties,
Freedom of Movement, Travel, Communication and Worship.
Module 9 : Law of State Responsibility
1. Nature and Basis of State Responsibility - Elements of State
Responsibility, State Responsibility in different fields
2. Theories of State Responsibility - Fault or Subjective Theory, Risk or
Objective theory, Eclectic Theories of Responsibility, Absolute Liability
3. Significance of Doctrine of Culpa
4. Defences precluding State Responsibility.
Module 10: Law of Treaties
1. Meaning and Definition of a Treaty, Types of Treaties
2. Parties to a treaty - Formation of a Treaty, Significance of Pact Sunt
Servanda
3. Significance of Jus Cogens, Role of Rebus Sic Stantibus (Changed
Circumstances) in Treaties
Module 11: Settlement of Disputes
1. Legal and Political Disputes
2. Pacific Means
3. Extra-judicial Pacific Means- Negotiation- Good Offices- Mediation-
Conciliation- Inquiry- Arbitration
4. Coercive and Compulsive Measuresaa - Retortion - Reprisals - Embargo -
Pacific Blockade - Intervention.
Module 12: International Human Rights Law
1. Traditional Human Rights
2. Civil and Political Rights
3. Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
4. Third Generation Human Rights (Solidarity Rights)
5. Implementation of Human Rights at International Level through various
Conventions: ICCPR (1966), ICESCR(1966), CERD (1965), CEDAW
(1979), CRC (1989), CMW (1990), CRPD (2006), CPED (2006) etc

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SEMESTER VI COURSE-: CPC AND LIMITATION LAW FACULTY VIVEK WILSON

6. Human Rights Council

7. Regional Conventions on Human Rights and its implementation
8. Protection of Human Rights in India
Module 12 International Institutions
1. Historical Origin of International Institutions - League of Nations - An
Overview, United Nations - Purposes and Principles
2. Structure, Powers and functions of (a) Security Council, (b) General
Assembly, (c) Economic and Social Council, (d) Trusteeship Council, (e)
Secretary General - Appointment, Powers and Functions
3. International Court of Justice - Historical Evolution and Composition,
Types of Jurisdiction of the Court - Contentious and Advisory, Law
Applied by the Court and Binding Nature of Judgment
4. Legal Status of International Organizations.

4.0 PRESCRIBED/RECOMMENDED READINGS

PRESCRIBED READINGs
1. Oppeniheim, International Law, Biblio Bazaar, LIC, 2010
2. James Crawford Brownlie, Principles of International Law,
Oxford University Press, 2013
3. Starke, Introduction to International Law , Oxford University
Press, 2013
4. Shaw, International Law, Cambridge University Press, 2008 (6th
Edn)
5. Boyle & C. Chinkin, The Making of International Law,
Foundations of Public International Law, Oxford University Press,
2007
6. R. P. Dhokalia, The Codification of Public International Law,
United Kingdom: Manchester University Press, 1970
7. Mark Villiger, “The Factual Framework: Codification in Past and
Present”, in Customary International Law and Treaties, Mark
Villger, pp.63-113, The Netherlands: MartinusNijhoff, 1985
8. S.K. Kapoor, International Law, Human Rights, Central Law
Agency, 2009
9. Brownlie, International Law and the Use of Force by States,
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991
10. H.O. Agarwal, International Law & Human Rights, Central Law
Agency 1st Ed. (Rep) 2014

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RECOMMENDED READINGS

1. D. Harris & Sandesh Sivakumaran, Cases and Materials on International Law (8th
ed., 2015)

2. Robert Jennings and Arthur Watts (eds.), Oppenheim’s International Law [Vol. I –
Peace] (9th ed., 2008)

3. James Crawford, Brownlie’s Principles of Public International Law (8th ed., 2013)

4. I.A. Shearer, Starke’s International Law (1 st Indian ed., 2007)

5. Gurdip Singh, International Law (3rd ed., 2015)

6. V. K. Ahuja, Public International Law (1st ed. 2015)

7. S. K. Verma, An introduction to Public International Law (2nd ed. 2012) • Kaul, J.L.
& A. Jha, Shifting Horizons of Public International Law, (1st ed. 2018)

PRESCRIBED TREATIES

1. Charter of the United Nations

2. Statute of the International Court of Justice

MOVIES ON RELATED TOPICS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

1. Amistad (US case US vs Amistad)

2. Zero Dark Thirty (Bin Laden)
3. The Interpreter (filmed in the UN)
4. Argo (Iran Hostage Crisis)
5. The Reader (War Crimes Trial in Germany)
6. Battle of Algiers (Algerian War of Independence)
7. Hotel Rwanda (true story on Genocide in Rwanda)
8. Woman in Gold (Nazi Art Theft, FSIA)
9. Captain Phillips (Piracy)
10. Blood Diamond (Conflict Diamonds)
11. Lord of War (Arms Dealing)
12. War Witch (Child Soldiers)
13. Star Wars (Trade Dispute prompts Armed Conflict in Outer Space)
14. Bridge of Spies (Cold War)
15. The Constant Gardener (Diplomacy, Pharmaceuticals, British High Commission in
Kenya) Judgment at Nuremberg (Nuremberg Trials)
16. The Reckoning (The ICC)
17. Last Station before Hell (UN peacekeeping)

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18. Sons of the Clouds: The Lost Colony (Western Sahara)

19. The Gatekeepers (Shin Bet)
20. Taxi to the Darkside (Torture, Afghanistan)
21. All Rise (Jessup Competition)
22. Munich
23. In The Loop
24. In This World
25. The Ghost Writer
26. No Man’s Land
27. Waltz with Bashir
28. Breaker Morant
29. The Boy in Striped pijamas (a film depicting WWII from a boy's perspective, whose
father runs one of the camps).
30. The Wind that shakes the Barley (Irish Republicans in the early 20th century and the
antibrit rebellion)
31. Rabbit-proof fence (Australian film based on a true story of 2 Aboriginal girls
escaping from an internment camp and walking 1500 miles to return to their
Aboriginal family).
32. Hotel Rwanda (True story about the Tutsi & Hutu struggle/war in Rwanda).
33. Kandahar (A perilous journey of an Afgan woman living in Canada who tries to go
back to Afganistan to prevent her sister's suicide).
34. The reluctant fundamentalist
35. The Whistleblower (2010); Human (2015); No Escape (2015); The Gunman (2015);
13 Hours (2016)
36. Bangladesh Independence, the role of India BBC
37. Apocalypse WW 2, 1-5 documentary
38. BBC documentary – British occupation of India
39. Shyam Benegal’s Shatranj ke Khiladi
40. Chintu ka Birthday
41. Jojo Rabbit
42. Shows and documentaries on Netflix - including issues on child trafficking, refugees,
inter country organ trading, international prostitution circuit, Tokyo trial, World War
II documentaries etc.

CASE READINGS
1. Reparation for Injuries Suffered in the Service of the United Nations Case.
ICJ Rep.1949,p.174
2. Lotus Case (France v. Turkey), PCIJ, Ser. A, No. 10 (1927)
3.
1. North Sea Continental Shelf Cases, ICJ Rep. 1969, p. 3
2. Right of Passage over Indian Territory (Merits) (Portugal v. India), ICJ Rep. 1960, p.
6
3. Asylum Case (Columbia v. Peru), ICJ Rep. 1950, p. 266
4. Advisory Opinion of ICJ on the Effect of Awards of Compensation made by the
United Nations Administrative Tribunal , 1954 International Law Reports 310
5. Island of Palmas Case (Netherlands v. United States) (1928) Permanent Court of
Arbitration, 2 R.I.A.A. 829
6. Temple of Preah Vihear Case (Merits) (Cambodia v. Thailand), ICJ Reports 1962,

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p.6
7. Advisory Opinion of ICJ on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons,
35 International Legal Materials 809 (1996)
8. In Re Berubari Union No. (I), AIR 1960 SC 845 : (1960) 3 SCR 250
9. Ram Kishore Sen v. Union of India (1966) 1 SCR 430 : AIR 1966 SC 644
10. Jolly George Varghese v. Bank of Cochin, AIR 1980 SC 470 (1980) 2 SCC 360
11. Gramophone Company of India Ltd. v. Birendra Bahadur Pandey, AIR 1984 SC 667:
(1984) 2 SCC 534
12. Union of India v. Sukumar Sengupta, AIR 1990 SC 1692 : 1990 Supp. SCC 545
13. Vellore Citizens’ Welfare Forum v. Union of India (1996) 5 SCC 647
14. Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, AIR 1997 SC 3011 : (1997) 6 SCC 241
15. Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd.) v.Union of India (2017) 6 SCC 235
16. Corfu Channel Case, ICJ Rep. 1949, p. 4
17. Barcelona Traction, Light and Power Co. Ltd. Case, ICJ Rep.1964, p. 6
18. Case Concerning United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran (United
States of America v. Iran), ICJ Rep.1980, p.3
19. Nicaragua Case (Nicaragua v. USA) ICJ Rep.1986, p. 14
20. La Grand Case (Germany v. United States of America) ICJ Reports 2001, p. 466
21. Certain Activities Carried Out By Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v
Nicaragua) ICJ Reports 2018
22. Anglo-Norwegian Fisheries Case (United Kingdom v. Norway), ICJ Rep. 1951, p.
116
23. North Sea Continental Shelf Cases, ICJ Rep. 1969, p. 3
24. Libya v. Tunisia Continental Shelf Case, ICJ Rep. 1982, p. 17
25. Republic of Italy v. Union of India (2013) 4 SCC 721
26. In the Matter of the Bay of Bengal Maritime Boundary Arbitration (between the
People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India),PCA, 2014.
27. Arrest Warrant of 11 April 2000 (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Belgium)
ICJ Rep. 2002, p.3
28. Abu Salem v. State of Maharashtra (2011) SCC 214
29. Arrest and Restoration of Savarkar (France/Great Britain, 1911)
30. Gaurav Jain v. Union of Inida AIR 1997 SC 3021
31. Independent Thought v Union of India, (2017) 10 SCC 800
32. Application of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of
Terrorism and of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Racial Discrimination (Ukraine v Russian Federation), ICJ Rep. (2019)
33. The Schooner Exchange v. McFaddon (1812) 7 Cranch 116
34. Case Concerning U.S. Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran, ICJ Rep. 1980, p. 3
35. Jurisdictional Immunities of the State (Germany v. Italy: Greece Intervening) ICJ
Rep. (2008)
36. Jadhav Case (India v Pakistan), ICJ Rep. (2019)

5.0 TEACHING METHODOLOGY

1. As the subject is highly technical the best method is interactive method.

2. However, lectures and discussion would be the major teaching methodology
adopted.

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3. Allthe tools such as power point etc. will be used.

4. A holistic approach to teaching the subject will be adopted.

6.0 EVALUATION PATTERN

Evaluation: Marks

Project Submission… ............................................................................. 25

Mid-Semester Examination..................................................................... 25
End-Semester Examination… ................................................................. 50

Total

100

7.0 TENTATIVE DATES FOR SUBMISSION OF PROJECT, MID-

TERM AND END TERMEXAMINATION

The Mid Semester Examination and End Term Examination dates are as per the
schedule. The dates for project submission will be issued by the Academic Committee.

8.0 IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS

1. The given course-outline is tentative. The faculty-member may modify it while

preparing the reference material and engaging the classes.
2. The teaching methodology of the subject will not necessarily be bound by the
parameters shown here.

3. The faculty-member may not necessarily follow the sequence of the modules. The
sequence will be in accordance to the need of the subject and the teaching.
Flexibility is required to do justice to the subject.
Active and positive class participation is mandatory. Maintaining the dignity and
decorum of the class is equally mandatory. Once the class is begun the students are
not allowed to enter the classroom.
4. The students are required to come to the class with necessary home work, which will
be beneficial for positive participation in learning – teaching process.

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