International Law

Westphalia

Refers to the Peace of Westphalia treaties (1648) that ended the Thirty Years' War and established principles of state sovereignty and non-interference.

A transition point between the old hierarchical feudal order (personal relationships…) and the modern horizontal order (idea of independent, self-governing states that recognize no superior political authority)

Kellog-Briand Pact

An international agreement (1928) that condemned war as a means of resolving disputes and promoted peaceful solutions.

Made aggressive law illegal for states that chose to ratify, no measures to punish states that abrogated their treaty obligation

League of Nations

An international organization formed after World War I to promote peace and cooperation among countries.

United Nations

An international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among member states.

-”centralize use of force in service of maintaining order (collective security)

UN Security Council

A principal organ of the UN responsible for maintaining international peace and security.

Hugo Grotius

A Dutch jurist known as the father of international law, recognized for his work on natural law and justice.

Statehood

The status of being a recognized independent state with a defined territory and government.

Sovereignty

The supreme authority of a state to govern itself and make its own decisions without external interference.

Non-intervention

A principle of international law that prohibits foreign intervention in the internal affairs of sovereign states.

Territorial Integrity

The principle under international law that a state's borders are inviolable and should be respected.

Collective Security

A system where states agree to take joint action against any state that threatens peace or engages in aggression.

Globalization

The process by which businesses and other organizations develop international influence or operate on an international scale.

Governance

The processes and structures through which an organization or state is directed and controlled.

Article 38, Statute of the ICJ

Describes the sources of international law recognized by the International Court of Justice, including treaties, customary law, and general principles.

Treaties

Formal agreements between states that are governed by international law.

Bilateral/Multilateral

Refers to agreements involving two (bilateral) or more (multilateral) parties.

Consent

The agreement of states to be bound by a legal obligation, often required for treaties.

Ratification and Accession

Ratification is the formal approval of a treaty by a state, while accession refers to a state joining an existing treaty.

Customary Law

Legal norms that arise from consistent state practice and belief that such practice is legally obligatory.

Systematic practice

The consistent and uniform actions undertaken by states that contribute to the formation of customary international law.

Opinio juris

The belief that a certain practice is legally obligatory and constitutes a binding rule of law.

Lotus case

A significant case concerning the principle of jurisdiction in international law, establishing the idea of freedom of action unless explicitly prohibited.

Scotia case

A case in international law relating to navigational rights and the concept of international waterway access.

Lex lata versus lex ferenda

'Lex lata' refers to existing law, whereas 'lex ferenda' refers to the law as it ought to be or proposed law.

Jus cogens

Peremptory norms in international law that are universally recognized and cannot be violated.

Soft law

Non-binding agreements or guidelines that influence behavior in international relations but do not have legal force.