International Law Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from lecture notes on international law.

International Law

Rules between sovereign states based on treaties, customs, and international organizations.

Treaties

Formal agreements between states (contracts).

Customary International Law

Widespread, consistent practices accepted as obligatory (requires opinio juris).

International Organizations

UN, WTO, ICC create norms and frameworks for cooperation.

Bilateral Treaty

Agreement between 2 parties.

Multilateral Treaty

More than 2 parties.

Convention

Open to all states.

National Courts

Can enforce international law within domestic jurisdiction.

UN System

General Assembly (nonbinding recommendations) and Security Council (sanctions or peacekeeping).

Treaties

Binding agreements between sovereign states.

Bilateral Treaty

Agreement between 2 states.

Multilateral Treaty

Agreement among 3+ states.

Convention

Open to all states.

Protocol

Amendment/addition to a treaty.

Reservations to Treaties

Statements by states to exclude or modify legal effects of certain treaty provisions.

Pacta Sunt Servanda

Fundamental principle that treaties must be honored in good faith.

United Nations

Founded October 24, 1945, to maintain peace, promote social progress, foster relations, and solve global problems.

General Assembly

All member states, 1 country = 1 vote, issues recommendations (not legally binding).

Security Council

15 members (5 permanent + 10 rotating), maintains peace and security, can impose sanctions.

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Judicial branch, settles disputes between states (requires consent), issues advisory opinions.

Secretariat

Administrative arm, led by Secretary-General, manages day-to-day operations.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Coordinates global economic, social, and environmental efforts.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

States must protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity.

Multilateralism

Solving global problems through collective action rather than isolated national decisions.

Free Trade

Minimal restrictions on cross-border trade; boosts growth but sparks concerns about inequality and labor/environmental harm.

Protectionism

Tariffs, quotas, subsidies to shield domestic industries.

ICJ

The UN's judicial branch that resolves disputes between states and issues advisory opinions on international law.

Optional Clause Declarations

Few states accept full compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.

ICJ Strengths

Sets international legal norms. Provides peaceful avenues for dispute resolution. Incorporates science and ethics into international law.

ICJ Weaknesses

Relies on voluntary participation and political will. Cannot enforce rulings effectively against major powers.