Teaching IHL

June 4 - 5, 2008
American University Washington College of Law
Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
4910 Massachusetts Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20016

On June 4-5, 2008, American University Washington College of Law Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (WCL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) convened the first Teaching IHL Summer Institute in Washington, D.C. The Institute joined professors from around the world interested in teaching an IHL course for the first time, and included discussions on integrating IHL modules into their current courses and/or rethinking their current teaching of this important area. The Teaching IHL Institute is an outcome of the 2007 ICRC/WCL study, Teaching International Humanitarian Law in US Law Schools which concluded that student demand for IHL courses is high but faculty need better resources, materials and support to expand the teaching of IHL in law schools in the US.  This Institute is an attempt to address those needs. 

Teaching faculty for the Institute included Prof. Gary Solis (Georgetown), Prof. Doug Cassel (Notre Dame), Prof. Jordan J. Paust (University of Houston), Prof. Burrus Carnahan (George Washington), Philip Sundel (ICRC Washington Delegation Deputy Legal Advisor) and Katie Sams (ICRC, Geneva).

 

TEACHING IHL INSTITUTE AGENDA

June 4 - 5, 2008

Day 1  (June 4)

  
9:00am - 10:00am Welcome and Introductions

10:00am - 12:00pm

The Scope of IHL

 
  • Defining the Subject
  • Designing a Course: What’s In/What’s Out
  • Intersections and Overlap
12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch

1:00pm - 3:00pm

 Issues in IHL: Intersections of IHL with Human Rights and ICL
3:00pm - 3:15pm Break
3:15pm - 5:30pm Issues in IHL: The "War on Terror"
 
  • Guantanamo
  • Detainees
  • Unlawful Enemy Combatants and Other Categories
  • Non-State Actors
  • Politics v. Law
  • Intersections
6:00pm Reception at Residence of the Dutch Ambassador to the United States
(co-hosted by the Dutch Embassy and the American Society for International Law (ASIL))
   
Day 2   (June 5)  
8:30am - 9:00am Breakfast
9:00am - 11:00am Ways to Teach IHL
 
  • Modules
  • Stand Alone Courses
  • Choosing Materials
  • Techniques: hypotheticals/simulations/films/guest speakers/articles
  • Pitfalls and Challenges
    • Politics in the Classroom
    • Rigor of Student Research
11:00am - 11:15am Break
11:15am - 1:00pm Issues in IHL: Protected Persons
1:00pm - 2:30pm Lunchtime Panel Discussion: Practical Applications/Personal Experiences of IHL
 
  • Discussion with Military personnel, human rights organizations and victims
2:30pm - 2:45pm Break
2:45pm - 3:45pm Issues in IHL: Integration of IHL in Specific Subjects (Panel Discussion)
 
  • Constitutional Law  
  • Administrative Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Public International Law/International Organizations
  • Women and Conflict
  • Arms Control
3:45pm – 4:30pm  Strategies for Expanding and Supporting the Teaching of IHL
4:30pm – 5:00pm Next Steps and Evaluation

Co-sponsored by:

American University Washington College of Law Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

International Committee of the Red Cross