An Interdisciplinary Approach to Training for a Career in International Law

WCL's mission has been shaped from the very beginning by a history and tradition of using the law and legal education as critical instruments to pursue justice and to break down the artificial barriers that separate individuals. Inasmuch as individuals can no longer isolate themselves from the international community, legal training can no longer be restricted to the law school campus. Instead, law schools must connect themselves to an "outside world" and construct academic agendas that include the viewpoints of nongovernmental organizations, think-tanks, international organizations, and scholars both here and abroad.

We invite you to explore our international offerings and contact us for more information at international@wcl.american.edu.

Highlights

WCL Founders Celebration Events to Highlight International Law

The Founders Celebration is a series of events over a 3-month period held during the spring semester. The celebration commemorates the founding of WCL by Ellen Spencer Mussey and Emma Gillett in 1896 at a time when few women were admitted to law school or the legal profession. This year, WCL is proud to host over 60 events as part of the Founders Celebration. Several programs will focus on aspects of International Law including "Rethinking the Future: The Next Five Years in Iraq," "The Tenth Annual Grotius Lecture," "International Arbitration in the Americas." and "The Role of Law Schools in Protecting and Promoting Human Rights" just to name a few. Please click here for a complete listing of all Founders Celebration Events.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD MILLENNIUM, we find ourselves in the midst of unprecedented challenges. The emergence of global markets, the development of new information technologies, the universalization of human rights, terrorism and international crimes have dramatically redefined both the scope and nature of national sovereignty. Put simply, the most crucial issues challenging humankind can be better solved if we achieve effective cooperation among the individual states. Consider the imminent threats posed by problems such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, environmental degradation, poverty, international terrorism, war crimes, corruption, unfair trade, discrimination, and human rights abuses.

The events that have led to this situation have been extensively documented elsewhere. This publication, “Building the World Community,” does not seek to reiterate history, but rather to present the vision of a legal academic institution, American University Washington College of Law (WCL), in response to these phenomena. (Message from Dean Claudio Grossman, American University Washington College of Law, Building the World Community, 2007)

Click here to view the PDF version.

Other International Publications From WCL