International Organisation

The course aims to provide the cognitive and analytical tools needed to understand the fundamental features of the international community and the institutional structure of the international legal order. The course will focus, firstly, on the essential elements of the international legal order in their historical, political, and social reality, as well as in the light of international practice (Units 1 and 2). Secondly, it will address the law of international organizations, i.e. entities set up by States by means of international agreements to create permanent structures of cooperation in the various fields of international relations. Particular attention will be paid to international cooperation in the fields of collective security, health, management of migration flows, and human rights. In this perspective, the institutional aspects and activities of selected international organizations that are particularly involved in the abovementioned fields will also be analyzed (namely, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the European Union, and the Council of Europe) (Unit 3).

At the end of the course, students should be able to:
i. gain knowledge of the essential elements of international law and the law of international organizations;
ii. apply these legal concepts to understand and assess current events and emerging challenges in the international community, with particular regard to the areas of cooperation indicated in the programme;
iii. considering the professional outlets of the degree course, develop autonomy of judgement and learning skills in the subject matter of the course;
iv. master the correct terminology of international law.