Welcome!
There has never been a more exciting time to study and teach public
international law and it is a particular privilege to do so at
Oxford
University with its long tradition in public
international law. As a
practicing German Rechtsanwalt and a member of the English Bar
practising from
20 Essex Street Chambers my approach to public
international law is very much practice oriented. I don’t believe in
theory for theory’s sake. In fact, theory, more often than not, not only
fails to enhance the understanding of a problem but creates a tertium
quid which stands, like a bank of fog on a still day, between the
observer and the contours of the ground which call for investigation. My
work is strongly rooted in the tradition of legal positivism. I am more
interested in what the law actually is, than what it ought to be. I
still consider the State the main, although not the only, actor in
international law and do not view State sovereignty as a concept of the
past. I see myself as a generalist whose interests cover a wide range of
subjects in public international law. In my teaching, I seek to
emphasize the practical impact and political dimensions of international
law, as rules for the ‘global village’.
|
News 2010 >>
26/11: Chair of the
Session on 'The PCIJ as the First World Court' at the
Conference on 'The Permanent Court and Modern International
Law: Reflections on the PCIJ's Lasting Legacy' in London
more>>
02/11:
My D.Phil. student Mehmet Karli from Turkey successfully
defends his doctoral thesis on 'Regulatory Regionalism and
Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade'
- Many congratulations Doctor Karli!
01/11: Registration
starts for the 2011 Summer Courses of the Hague Academy of
International Law where I will be serving as Director of
Studies of the English-speaking section of the Course on
Public International Law
more>>
29/10:
Presentation on 'The Role of Recognition in Determining
Ownership of Natural Resources' at the Conference on
'Corporate Liability for Pillaging Natural Resources' at The
Peace Palace in The Hague
more>>
23/10:
Memorial Service for my former supervisor Sir Ian Brownlie
CBE, QC, DPhil, DCL, FBA at All Souls College
13/10: Presentation
on 'Kosovo: The ICJ Opinion, What Next?' at the Katholieke
Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
more>>
12/10: The Court of
Appeal of England and Wales (Civil Division) hands down
judgment in The Queen (on the application of (1) Kibris Türk
Hava Yollari and (2) CTA Holidays Limited) v. Secretary of
State for Transport, and The Republic of Cyprus intervening,
[2010] EWCA Civ. 1093
more>>
11-22/10:
Global Law School Professor at the Katholieke Universiteit
Leuven, Belgium
10/10:
I am on sabbatical until HT 2011
08/10: Start of my
new M.Phil. student Lucas Bastin from Australia who works on
'Regulatory Failures and the Full Protection and Security
Standard'
21/09:
Presentation on 'Kosovo: The ICJ Opinion - What Next?' at
Chatham House, London
more>>
02/09:
Presentation on 'The Security Council as Dispenser of (or
with) International Law' at the 4th Biennial Conference of
the European Society of International Law in Cambridge
more>>
15/08:
Review of The Legal Order of the Oceans: Basic Documents
on the Law of the Sea by Erik Franckx in (2010) 28/3
Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law 431-433
more>>
22/07: 'The ICJ's
Advisory Opinion on Kosovo' - Interview with the BBC
World Service's Newshour Programme
20/07: 'Looking
into the Crystal Ball: The ICJ's Advisory Opinion on Kosovo'
- Interview with the BBC World Service's Serbian Service
19/07:
My BYU summer intern Jordan Toone reports about his
experience at Oxford
more>>
15/07:
Review of The Legal Order of the Oceans: Basic Documents
on the Law of the Sea by Douglas Guilfoyle in (2010) 59
International and Comparative Law Quarterly 884-885
more>>
04/07: Presentation
on 'The Advisory Opinion of the International Court of
Justice: Obstacle or Stepping Stone for the Recognition of
Kosovo' at the conference on The Impending ICJ Opinion on
Kosovo, Pristina, Kosovo
more>>
28/06:
Legal Scholars Weigh in on Gaza Blockade, Flotilla Death,
Interview with Erik Schechter for a Carnegie Council Report
more>>
24/06: My FSP student
René Mirko from the Czech Republic wins the Foreign Service
Programme Dissertation Prize for his thesis on 'State
Practice of the Czech Republic: Prohibition of the Use of
Force in International Law' - Many congratulations!
18/06:
Presentation on 'The UN Security Council as a Threat to
International Law' at the Faculty of Law, University of
Bonn, Germany
16/06:
'Flotilla Battle Continues: In Law Schools' - Interview with
The Media Line, the MidEast News Service, on the legality of
Israel's naval blockade of Gaza
more>>
04/06: Presentation
on 'Piracy, State Terrorism or Self-Defence? Israel's Raid
on Ships Bound for Gaza' at the Third Faculty Seminar,
Faculty of Law, University of Oxford
27-28/05:
Participation in the Expert Meeting on 'The Concept of
Stateless Persons under International Law' organized by the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
Prato, Italy
15/05:
Publication of The Iran Nuclear Issue by Yael Ronen
in my Series 'Documents in International Law' published by
Hart Publishing
more>>
07/04: My BYU intern
Emily Hardman reports about her experience at Oxford
more>>
01/03:
The European Court of Human Rights declares the applications
in Demopoulos v. Turkey and 7 other cases
inadmissible
28/01:
My M.Phil. student Raghav Shankar from India successfully
defends his master's thesis on 'Attribution of
Internationally Wrongful Conduct to Corporations' and is
awarded the degree with distinction - Many congratulations!
19/01:
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales (Civil Division)
hands down judgment in Apostolides v. Orams, The British
Residents' Society intervening, [2010] EWCA Civ. 9
01/01:
Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year! |