International Relations and International Law

These flashcards cover the key definitions, historical figures, legal principles, and modern theories of International Relations and International Law as presented in the lecture notes.

International Relations (IR)

A broad field that studies relationships between nations, including diplomacy, foreign policy, conflict resolution, and globalisation.

International Law (Traditional Definition)

The body of legal rules, norms, and standards that apply between sovereign states and other entities legally recognised as international actors.

Thucydides Trap

A concept based on the idea that the internal behavior of states is shaped by fear, self-interest, and the desire for power, where the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

Niccolò Machiavelli (1513)

Thinker who proposed that states act to preserve security and power in an anarchic world, famously stating: "It is far safer to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both."

Hugo Grotius (1583-1645)

Dutch Jurist who argued that states are bound by natural law and should follow rules, treaties, and moral principles.

Thomas Hobbes (1651)

Author of Leviathan who described the international system as a "state of nature" where life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832)

The first person to use the term "International Law," defining it as a collection of rules governing relations between states.

E.H. Carr

Realist thinker who argued that power shapes international politics and that "there is no effective international morality without power."

Hans J. Morgenthau

Author of Politics Among Nations who defined international politics as a struggle for power driven by human nature and national interest.

Public International Law

A branch of law dealing with the rights and obligations of states and international organisations, including the Law of the Sea and Human Rights Law.

International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

Rules governing conduct during armed conflict, primarily found in the Geneva Conventions (1949) and Hague Conventions.

Private International Law

Also known as conflict of laws; legal rules that determine which court has jurisdiction and which law governs a dispute when there is a foreign element.

Supranational Law

Laws made by a body higher than the nation-state where states agree to limit part of their sovereignty, such as European Union Law.

Non-Refoulement

A core customary international law rule preventing states from returning asylum seekers or refugees to countries where they face persecution or serious harm.

Pacta Sunt Servanda

A Latin principle meaning that states must fulfil their obligations under international treaties and agreements in good faith.

Res Judicata

A principle of law stating that a claim or issue that a court has already decided cannot be re-litigated.

Estoppel

Preventing a state from going back on its word or actions when another state has relied on them.

Audiatur et altera pars

A rule of natural justice meaning "hear both sides"; the right for everyone to present their side.

Actori incumbit onus probandi

A rule of natural justice stating that the burden of proof lies with the accuser.

Jus Cogens

A peremptory norm, such as the prohibition against torture, that is considered a fundamental principle of international law.

Realist Theory

A theory of international law that views states as primary subjects driven by power, self-interest, and survival.

Fictional Theory

The view of international law as a creation or fiction of states, used as a practical tool for formalities like diplomatic immunity.

Functional Theory

A theory acknowledging that both states and individuals have rights and obligations, linking law to order and justice.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

An international norm influencing humanitarian intervention and international criminal justice, highlighted by cases like the Rwandan Genocide.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

A document acting as a global roadmap for freedom and equality, outlining 30 rights and freedoms belonging to everyone.