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Courses Summer Term 2025

  • Seminar - International law in a changing world order / Völkerrecht im Umbruch (SB 4 & 6)

    We are currently witnessing a change in the international (legal) system and in world order: New actors, tensions and a backlash against liberal democracy are creating challenges for the international legal system. In this situation, new venues for the solution of political problems are being explored. In this combined Jena-Berlin research seminar, held together with Prof. Dr. Christian Marxsen and students from Humboldt University, we will look at different actors, policy and legal areas in order to understand how the power shifts in world order affect legal institutions and instruments. Topic suggestions by students are highly welcome.

    The seminar will take place in blocked form on 27/28 of June, 2025 together with students from Humboldt University in Berlin – in case the application for external funding to cover travel costs is successful. Otherwise the Seminar will take place in Jena on the same date.

    Research papers can be written in German or English. Students enrolled in Schwerpunktbereiche 4 and 6 can receive a „Probeseminarschein“ or write their „Wissenschaftliche Hausarbeiten“ in this seminar. Those enrolled in the International Legal Studies programs can obtain a certificate for their respective program as well.

    The seminar will also cover interdisciplinary questions and is open for students of political science and sociology.

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    Das Völkerrecht befindet sich gegenwärtig in einer Transitionsphase. Alte Machtzentren erodieren, neue Akteure und Allianzen schicken sich an, auch fundamentale Funktionsprinzipien der internationalen Ordnung zu verändern. Rechtliche Mechanismen sind dabei Mittel der Transformation der internationalen Ordnung. In den konkreten Auseinandersetzungen um die Schaffung neuer rechtlicher Instrumente, in der Anwendung bestehender Mittel und auch in den Konflikten um die Erhaltung oder Transformation bestehender rechtlicher Strukturen und Mechanismen, zeigen sich grundlegende Konfliktlinien.

    Das Seminar geht einer Reihe von aktuellen völkerrechtlichen Problemen nach und verfolgt dabei auch die übergeordnete Frage, ob und inwieweit sich hierin auch grundlegendere Konflikte artikulieren.

    Das Seminar findet voraussichtlich als Kooperationsveranstaltung zwischen der Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena und der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin statt.

    Possible topics: 

    Foundations of the international legal order

    1. Theoretical and conceptual approaches in law and political science to capture the changing constellation of world order
    2. Causes for the backlash on multilateralism and the “liberal international order”: Are we witnessing a development towards “authoritarian international law”?

    International Court of Justice

    1. New relevance of advisory opinions in “mega political cases” before international courts and tribunals
    2. Public interest litigation before the ICJ

    Criminal prosecution of individuals – international criminal law

    1. International criminal law and the Russian war against Ukraine since 2022: institutional venues, approaches and doctrinal issues of admissibility
    2. International criminal law and the conflict in Gaza since Oct 7, 2023: Jurisdiction, possibilities and limitations of a possible trial
    3. Interaction and judicial dialogue between the ICC and the ICJ

    Question of general international law

    1. The role of the UN in current conflicts
    2. Weapons deliveries in times of war: legality and political implications from an international point of view
    3. Acts of sabotage and their interception under international and constitutional law

    Self-determination of peoples and human rights

    1. Right to statehood in difficult times: the cases of Chagos Islands, Palestine, West Sahara Africa
    2. “Gender apartheid” in Afghanistan and the role of international institutions: Discussion of the concept and of the role of UN institutions and a possible law suit of Germany et al. against Afghanistan before the ICJ

    Please register and sign up for research topics in the secretariat (room 1.49) or via email to Tim Niendorf (tim.niendorf@uni-jena.de) starting now.

    The deadline for registrations of Wissenschaftliche Hausarbeiten is 28 February 2025.

    Please also register in FriedolinExterner Link to get access to the course material on Moodle once course applications are open (Exam candidates should register for both the Übungs-Externer Link and ExamensseminarExterner Link in Friedolin).

Courses Winter Term 2024/25

  • Lecture - Grundzüge des Völkerrechts

    Dienstag, 10-12 Uhr, c.t. im HS 8, CZS 3

    Die internationale Gemeinschaft steht vor globalen, grenzüberschreitenden Herausforderungen: Kriege, Klimawandel, Ressourcenausbeutung, Terrorismus, Pandemien, Migration. Staaten können diesen Herausforderungen nicht im Alleingang begegnen, sondern müssen kooperieren. Das Völkerrecht stellt hierfür Rechtsformen, Institutionen und inhaltliche Vorgaben bereit. Gleichzeitig ist dieses Rechtsgebiet wie wohl kein anderes vom politischen und ökonomischen Kontext abhängig und von starken Interessengegensätzen der beteiligten Akteure geprägt. Behandelt werden die Rechtsquellen, die Rechtserzeugung, die Völkerrechtssubjekte, tragende materielle Prinzipien wie staatliche Souveränität und Gewaltverbot, der Rechtsrahmen zentraler Institutionen (insbesondere der Vereinten Nationen), die Rechtsfolgen von Völkerrechtsverletzungen und die rechtlichen Mechanismen der Konfliktbewältigung.

    Literatur:

    •  v. Arnauld, Völkerrecht, 5. Aufl. 2023.
    •  Krajewski, Völkerrecht, 3. Aufl. 2023.
    •  Peters/Petrig, Völkerrecht, 6. Aufl. 2023.
    •  Crawford, Brownlie’s Principles of Public International Law, 8. Aufl. 2019.

    Bitte melden Sie sich in Friedolin Externer Linkfür die Veranstaltung an.

  • Lecture - Unionsverfassungsrecht

    Dienstag, 14-16 Uhr, c.t. im SR 306, CZS 3

    Die Vorlesung behandelt die theoretischen Grundlagen und dogmatischen Kernprobleme des Europäischen Verfassungsrechts. Der Europäische Verfassungsverbund wird aus dem Zusammenwirken supranationalen und mitgliedstaatlichen Verfassungsrechts entwickelt. Zentrale Einzelthemen sind die Organstruktur der EU angesichts der Maßstäbe des Demokratieprinzips, die Rechtsetzung in der EU, die Kompetenzlehre sowie der Grundrechtsschutz und die Unionsbürgerschaft.

    Literatur:

    • von Bogdandy/ Bast (Hrsg.), Europäisches Verfassungsrecht, 2. Aufl. 2009.
    • Haltern, Europarecht – Dogmatik im Kontext, Bd. I: Entwicklungen, Institutionen, Prozesse, 3. Aufl. 2017.
    • Schütze, European Constitutional Law, 3. Aufl. 2021.
    • Bieber/Epiney/Haag/Kotzur, Europarecht, 7. Aufl. 2023.

    Bitte melden Sie sich in Friedolin Externer Linkfür die Veranstaltung an.

  • Seminar - The law and politics of arms export control and European defense cooperation under German, EU and international law (SB 4 & 6)

    For a long time, Germany has been ranking high on the list of arms exporting states. In recent years, exports to Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and Israel raised attention to the legal framework governing arms trade. In reaction to geopolitical challenges and in particular the war in Ukraine, EU member states and institutions are trying to build a common industrial base in armaments and other military goods. In this seminar, we will explore the political background and legal framework of arms trade, arms export control and defense cooperation in Europe from the perspective of German administrative and constitutional law, EU and international law.

    Students enrolled in Schwerpunktbereiche 4 and 6 can receive a Probeseminarschein or write their Wissenschaftliche Hausarbeiten in this seminar. Those enrolled in the International Legal Studies programs can obtain a certificate for their respective program as well. The seminar is open to students of law and political science.

    Seminar papers can be written on the following topics, inter alia:

    1. Arms trade and the laws of war: Can a state supplying weapons to a belligerent party become a co-party at war under the jus ad bellum or jus in bello?
    2. Legal framework and political feasibility of UN, EU and other arms embargos
    3. Art. 6 and 7 of the Arms Trade Treaty and its relationship with the prohibition on the use of force, International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law
    4. The role of NATO, EU and informal settings like the so-called Ramstein format in coordinating military support to Ukraine: institutional setting, legal framework, judicial control
    5. The preliminary orders in the ICJ case South Africa v. Israel for arms export to Israel: political and / or legal implications?
    6. Rules for the export of EU common defence projects (like the Future Combat Air System or the Euro drone): regulatory framework, legal and political challenges
    7. EU Common Position on the export of military goods: Historical background, content, legal status and judicial control
    8. Towards a common market of defense goods? The framework of EU legislation for arms trade among EU member states
    9. Arms export control regimes in Europe: constitutional comparison between the systems in France and Germany
    10. The EU and the military support of Ukraine since February 2022: EDIRPA, ASAP, European Peace Facility i.a. – analysis from the viewpoint of EU constitutional law
    11. The institutional framework of arms export decisions, in particular the constitutionality of the Federal Security Council under Art. 26 (2) German Basic Law
    12. The role of Parliament in control of arms export decisions and employments of the armed forces: a comparison under German constitutional law
    13. The role of courts in the control of the export of dual use goods, war weapons and military equipment: full control or judicial self-restraint?
    14. Extraterritorial reach of human rights: Scope and judicial control with regard to arms exports
    15. Public interest litigation by NGOs with regard to arms export licenses? Comparative experiences from other countries, arguments in favor and against the introduction of public interest litigation with regard to arms export licenses into the German system of arms control

    You are welcome to approach me with your own ideas for other research topics. Please register and sign up for research topics in the secretariat (room 1.49) or via email to Tim Niendorf (tim.niendorf@uni-jena.de) starting now. Registrations for Wissenschaftliche Hausarbeiten need to be done until 31 July 2024. Please also register in FriedolinExterner Link to get access to the course material on Moodle once course applications are open (Examen candidates should register for both the Übungs-Externer Link and ExamensseminarExterner Link in Friedolin).

    We will have a first introductory meeting on Monday, October 21, at 2 p.m. in SR 385, Carl-Zeiss-Str. 3. 

    The seminar will be taught in blocked form in December 2024.