Course overview
This course explores the legal impact of emerging, sensitive and disruptive technologies upon armed conflict. It tracks the legal issues across the life-cycle of these technologies: the legal issues related to acquisition, such as manufacturers liability and states responsibility for the design and development of these technologies; the issues related to their fielding during international and non-international armed conflict, as well as use in operations other than armed conflict, such as grey-zone operations and peacekeeping; and finally addresses the use of technology in enforcing compliance with IHL. Utilising contemporary examples, such as the use of evidence collection apps in the current Ukraine conflict for war crimes evidence, the course culminates with students writing a short assessment on how a selected technology can mitigate or exacerbate legal risk in armed conflict, and a research paper on a legal issue canvassed during the course
Course learning outcomes
- Describe the nature of the regulation of military capabilities by international law, specifically export controls, non-proliferation and weapons law