PO 309 - (De-)Globalization and the future of International law

Students in this class will learn about current parallel trends of globalization and deglobalization, and the role of international law and international organizations. They will take part in discussions about why states create and comply with international law (or not), which reforms different states promote for international organizations like the UN and the WTO, and why they leave, block, or rather strengthen them. Students will familiarize themselves with the impact of China’s rise, new US policies, and developing developed country contradictions. They will also learn about emerging fields of international law like norms on outer space, the deep seabed, as well as cyberspace & AI. Students will discuss who shapes these norms, and how this is pursued. Finally, they will study regionalization and fragmentation trends in international law, and will get insights into the structure and work of the European Union. Two excursions to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (Vienna International Centre) and the House of the European Union will serve to illustrate the trends and work of the organizations discussed in the course.