Search: Syria Insta-Symposium
06 May Foreign Volunteers or Foreign Fighters? The Emerging Legal Framework Governing Foreign Fighters
countries to join other groups fighting in Syria – or, for that matter, to fight alongside the Syrian government and its allies. Quite the contrary: Western states have generally taken a permissive stance vis-à-vis individuals who join the ranks of the People’s Defense Units (YPG), the Kurdish militia in Syria. For more than two years, foreigners from Australia, Canada, the United States, the UK, and other countries have joined the ranks of the YPG as “volunteers” who are, more often than not, warmly and publicly received upon their return home....17 Oct Still on that Syrian IAC
Thanks to Ryan Goodman for his thoughtful entry in our ongoing discussion about the existence of an international armed conflict (IAC) in Syria. For those just joining, I’d questioned Ryan’s analysis that an IAC exists in Syria as between Syria and the United States on the grounds that none of the three recent events Ryan cited in support for his conclusion – the putative existence of a U.S.-backed “no-fly” zone in country, the United States’ mistaken attack on Syrian forces (which the U.S. says it mistook for ISIL forces), and...25 Apr The Legality of President Obama’s “Red Line” on Syrian Chemical Weapons
President since, has used military force without a declaration of war and generally without authorization from Congress. Anon Recognition as the "legitimate representative of the Syrian people" is emphatically not the same as recognition as the Government of Syria. The U.S. very pointedly has not recognized a successor government to the Assad regime, in large part to make clear that Assad remains responsible for upholding Syria's international obligations with regard to nonproliferation and human rights. Jordan A short article of mine, Use of Military Force in Syria by Turkey, NATO,...23 Jan John Bellinger Responds to Julian Ku on Intervention in Syria
hands of groups hostile to U.S. interests, as happened in Libya. But I added that “As the violence in Syria increases…the president is likely to feel compelled to provide more than political support and non-lethal aid.” Julian asks at the end of his post: If one really thought international legality was so crucial, wouldn’t it be better to seek out a plausible legal theory, rather than simply rely on muddy political formulations? For instance, wouldn’t it be easier just to recognize the Syrian opposition as the government of Syria, and...
19 Dec The Visible C of the Invisible College: Classism and the International Legal Profession – Symposium Introduction
...with the ideas, problems, and proposals that the symposium brings forth. In so proceeding, its conveners are deeply cognizant of the positions of privilege that they each occupy—gender for one, class for the other, and whiteness for both. In a dialogue that can, and in some of the pieces included here, does, require a strenuous and wearisome amount of vulnerability on the part of its participants, this symposium seeks to walk the line between making meaningful contributions to the discourse surrounding classism in the international legal profession, and merely creating...
21 Mar Symposium on Early Career International Law Academia: Introduction
that we and our excellent contributors gained with time and experience. That is how this symposium emerged – it took a village to assemble this “road map for early career scholars” and we are incredibly grateful for everyone who took their time to participate in this project. The breadth and depth of responses evidence both the anxieties but also the generosity, patience, and creativity of the ‘invisible college’. The first half of the symposium, hosted by Opinio Juris, opens with a post by Eliav Lieblich who offers a nuanced yet...
31 Aug Symposium: Saving Critical International Legal Pedagogy from Formalists, Reactionaries, and Pandemics
...and in a classroom facilitates. Many readers of this symposium are conversant with these concerns as controversies about the shift to virtual education proliferate. Unions are rightly alarmed. They grieve the workload implications, the colonisation of personal space, and the surreptitious push for stronger involvement of for-profit actors in the tertiary system. Many also deplore the hasty adoption of new pedagogical technologies as we aim to recreate physical classrooms online rather than think through digital pedagogy. Staff and students are guinea pigs in this neo-managerial bonanza. Throughout our symposium, some...
11 Nov Symposium on Erin Pobjie’s Prohibited Force: The Meaning of ‘Use of Force’ in International Law – Introduction
Tomohiro Mikanagi, focuses on the application of Erin’s theory to the acquisition of territory by force while Andrew Clapham tests the book’s central premise in light of so-called “anomalous cases”. On Thursday, the issue of “anomalous cases” is taken up again by Alejandro Chethman, and James A. Green reflects on Erin’s main proposition – the “Type Theory” approach to the meaning of use of force. The symposium closes on Friday, with Erin’s response. Before closing this introduction and inaugurating the symposium, I wated to acknowledge the fact that, despite our...26 Nov The UK Government’s Position on Unwilling & Unable
and unprecedented threat to international peace and security”, and called upon Member States to take “all necessary measures … to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by ISIL… and to eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria.” There is a clear legal basis for military action against ISIL in Syria. The legality of UK strikes against ISIL in Syria is founded on the right of self-defence as it is recognised in Article 51 of the UN Charter. The right to self-defence may...19 Sep A Pathway to Accountability for Syria? The Broader Implications of the ICC’s Findings on Jurisdiction over Cross-Border Crimes
civilian whose fundamental rights are breached can – if all other elements are met – be a victim of this type of crime.” Indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks against civilians in Syria, as well as unlawful detentions, restrictions on humanitarian aid, appropriation of property and a range of other crimes and violations of fundamental rights, have led to the flight of Syrians, largely civilians, from their homes. Just this week, the Commission of Inquiry on Syria released a report concluding that “forced displacements” occurred “pursuant to ‘evacuation agreements’ negotiated between warring...