Courses
Courses
Webpage last updated: July 2018.
Events
Events
On December 3–4, 2018, the Harvard Law School Program on International Law and Armed Conflict, the International Committee of the Red Cross Regional Delegation for the United States and Canada, and the Stockton Center for International Law of the U.S. Naval War College will convene a workshop entitled “Artificial Intelligence at the Frontiers of International Law concerning Armed Conflict.”
Informal talk titled “When Should War End? Lessons from International Law” over lunch by Visiting Scholar Elad Uzan. Image credit: Nektarios Markogiannis/UNMISS April 20th, 2017, Flickr, License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Legal, Moral, and Military Implications of “Collateral Damage”: A Lunch Talk with Prof. Janina Dill. Image credit: US Air Force, Refuel over Iraq, Sept. 23, 2014.
An informal discussion with Dr. David Scharia, Director, Chief of Branch, United Nations Security Council – Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED). Image credit: UN Photo/Evan Schneider.
A talk by Sharon Weill on “French Counterterrorism Practices: Criminal and Administrative Avenues.” Image credit: Wally Gobetz, “Paris - Île de la Cité: Palais de Justice,” Flickr, License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
A talk by Anthony Dworkin concerning the question of when the State’s use of force in non-international armed conflicts is justified. Image credit: United Nations Photo, “Scene from MINUSMA Camp in Timbuktu,” Flickr, License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
A lunchtime lecture by Prof. Daniel Statman (University of Haifa). Image credit: Chaoyue PAN 超越 潘, “Return To Homs,” Flickr, License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
A Side Event at the 2017 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems. Image credit: UN Geneva, “Palais des Nations & Ariana Park,” Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
A Conversation with Georg Nolte, moderated by Professor Gabriella Blum. Image credit: UN Photo/Anne-Laure Lechat [link].
This year, leading academics, practitioners and international experts will examine a number of legal challenges raised by the application of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions on the occasion of their 40th anniversary.
As part of the celebration of the occasion of its 150th Anniversary, the Netherlands Red Cross is hosting an interactive conference on international humanitarian law, with a focus on themes concerning compliance. Image credit: Roel Wijnants, “Zuiderstrandtheater Scheveningen,” Flickr, license: CC BY-NC 2.0.
With the aim to advance international efforts, including those of the UN, to protect health care in conflict areas in follow-up to UNSC Resolution 2286, the Permanent Missions of Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom in collaboration with the Lancet-American University of Beirut Commission on Syria and Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition, are organizing a High-Level Side Event during the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Image credit: swedennewyork, “The ECOSOC Council Chamber,” on Flickr; license: Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0).
International Law in Practice: Working in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State, with Sabeena Rajpal and Jeremy Freeman
This side event is presented by the Switzerland and the Harvard Law School, Program on International Law and Armed Conflict and organised in the framework of the ECOSOC Humanitarian Segment.Photo credit: U.N. Photo/Stuart Price (Flickr).
Reflecting on Geneva Call’s approach to engaging armed groups with Hichem Khadhraoui, Director of Operations. Image credit: Oxfam East Africa, “SomalilandDrought017,” Flickr, CC BY 2.0 License.
A lunch discussion with Dustin Lewis on accountability for war algorithms, hosted by the Information Society Project at Yale Law School.
Lunch presentation by Dr. Gloria Gaggiolio on the multi-faceted concept of self-defense in armed conflicts and international law. Image credit: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Akeel Austin/Released, Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0.
Join Mr. Robert Taylor '75, Principal Deputy General Counsel, Department of Defense, for a conversation about current and future challenges in national security law, including cybersecurity, targeting, and use of force. Image credit: Kevin Harber, “Pentagon,” Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Lunch conversation with former United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, moderated by Gabriella Blum, Rita E. Hauser Professor of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and Faculty Director of the HLS Program on International Law and Armed Conflict. Image: U.S. Pacific Command, SECDEF in China, Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
PHAP Expert Legal Briefing by Naz Modirzadeh and Dustin Lewis on developments in technology, accountability, and international law pertaining to armed conflict. Image credit: Christiaan Colen, “Rootkit code,” Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Lunch Discussion with Under Secretary Sewall on Challenges and Opportunities for Civilian Protection. Seating limited and registration required. Image credit: UN Geneva Mission, “Under Secretary of State Sewall Addresses Human Rights Council,” Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0.
Current HLS J.D. and LL.M. students are invited to an informal information session on the 2017 Clara Barton IHL Competition. Image credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “160716-D-PB383-0952,” Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
A conversation on the application of the laws of armed conflict (LOAC) with U.S. Army Judge Advocate, Brigadier General Stuart Risch, Commander of the U.S. Legal Services Agency, and U.S. Naval Reserve Judge Advocate, Captain Gregory P. Noone, former Commander of the Navy JAG Corps’ International and Operational Law Reserve Unit. Image credit: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, “160731-D-PB383-047,” Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
In this lecture, Professor Naz Modirzadeh will analyse the legal arguments developed by the US to justify its resort to force, as well as recent developments in the approach to international law taken by other states participating in the massive campaign against ISIS. Image credit: US Air Force (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Joseph Swafford), Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0 License.
At this expert online briefing, Naz K. Modirzadeh and Dustin A. Lewis will synthesize recent research “humanitarian exemptions”: what they are; who and what they do and should cover; and what the debate surrounding them is. Image credit: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.
Senior Researcher Dustin Lewis and Junior Research Fellow Jiawei He will take part in academic exchanges in China on the PILAC mapping exercise on autonomous (weapons) systems, accountability, and international law. Image credit: Christiaan Colen, “Source code security plugin,” Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
On May 16 and 17, a workshop on “Global Battlefields: The Future of U.S. Detention under International Law” took place at Harvard Law School. Image credit: U.S. Embassy Kabul, Afghanistan, “Detention Facility in Parwan,” Flickr.
Naz K. Modirzadeh will present the Ninth Waldemar A. Solf and Marc L. Warren Lecture in International and Operational Law. Her lecture is titled “The Law(s) That Bind: Human Rights Goes to War.” Image credit: United States Forces Iraq, “Patrolling Mosul,” Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Discussion on Multilateral Solutions to International Problems: U.S. Leadership at the UN and What Lies Ahead with the Honorable Bathsheba Crocker, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs and Harvard Law School alum. Image credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak.
In a special presentation for PHAP members and guests in Geneva and online, Dustin Lewis will present PILAC’s latest research on the intersections between counterterrorism laws and approaches and the protection of impartial wartime medical care in IHL. Image credit: UN Geneva, “Palais des Nations by night,” CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Activities
Activities
Alongside HLS PILAC’s research portfolio, we collaborate with student researchers, scholars, and practitioners to engage with states, intergovernmental organizations, U.N. system actors, and NGOs through an array of activities.
In collaboration with the HLS Case Studies Program, PILAC develops real-world-based case studies. In each exercise, students act as senior-level decision-makers to resolve legal and policy dilemmas that arise in armed conflicts.
To leverage our research and provide students with real-world policy experience, we provide high-level briefings on its key areas of focus to decision-makers in government, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs. Through these briefings, students experience how international law and international law expertise relate to complex policy decision-making across the spectrum of viewpoints concerning situations of armed conflict.
In collaboration and consultation with several Permanent Missions to the United Nations, we seek to translate HLS PILAC’s research and scholarship into engagements at events for U.N. legal, security, human-rights, and humanitarian advisors. The Program briefs ambassadors and senior and technical legal and policy staff on complex challenges, and participates in and convenes side events at meetings and conferences. HLS PILAC also hosts informal meals to provide opportunities to highlight and discuss particular themes, trends, and trajectories.
The Program hosts the Counterterrorism and Humanitarian Engagement Project’s Senior Law and Policy Working Group, which comprises over 90 senior humanitarian, counterterrorism, and human rights practitioners, policy advisers, directors, and general counsel. As PILAC continues to develop, we will also explore collaborations with academic institutions and centers.
[Activities write-up last updated: April 2018]