The aim of this course is to introduce students to one of the most acute debates in public international law today: that of 'hybrid war' and its legal implications. The objective is to familiarise students with the existing rules, practice and case law in this domain. It also aims to teach students how to argue in these matters in accordance with the requirements of legal methodology.

Syllabus

Title of the course: Towards a deformalization of the prohibition on the use of force? Hybrid war’ emerged in the discourse of military strategists in the 2000s. The concept refers essentially to the hostile use of new actors (private security companies, irregular groups, etc.) and new modes of combat (cyber-conflicts, drones, targeted killings, ‘information warfare’, etc.). International law itself could even serve as an instrument for hybridising war: hostile actors allegedly exploit ambiguities or loopholes in both legal substance and procedure. The aim of the course is to examine the current state of positive international law to test this hypothesis.

Program

1. The discourse on Hybrid war: blurring the existing legal thresholds?
2. The ‘threat’ threshold and its implications.
3. The ‘force’ threshold and its implications.
4. The ‘armed attack’ threshold and its implications.
5. Information warfare & belligerent use of migrants: new forms of hybrid war?