Course Catalogue

Humanities and Social Science

1. To display a good understanding of how and why the norms of warfare evolved and how the laws of armed conflict were codified. 2. To encourage an appreciation of the societal, political and cultural factors across the western and non-western world, which have driven understandings of how to mitigate the excesses of war. 3. To appreciate the strategic and political dimensions of international law

Outline Syllabus:The global origins of warfare governance The emergence of norms Changes in warfare in the early modern world and their impact The first phase of codification, 1860s-1900 The First World War and interwar international agreements The Second World War and the post-war regime The origins of the Red Cross The politics of prisoner of war treatment in WWII

Module Overview:
The aim of this module is to develop an understanding of the historical development of the laws of armed conflict and engage in historical debate on the success and failures of the international humanitarian law regime. You will also understand the relationship between societal change, mass culture and the practice of war.

Additional Information:Since ancient times, the practice of making war has been regulated by an evolving series of norms, prejudices, treaties and – in recent years – international agreements. In this module, students will explore the evolution of the laws of armed conflict via a series of case studies, spanning the period from the ancient Greeks Romans and Chinese, through until the codification of international humanitarian law in the 19th and 20th centuries. By examining the changes in the nature of the norms of practice and laws of armed conflict over this long period of time, this research-led module will enlighten students as to the extent to which politics, culture, societal change and value systems have impacted the practice of war throughout history.