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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Introduction to International Criminal Law by Case Western Reserve University

4.8
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3,669 ratings

About the Course

-- About the Course -- From the Nuremberg trial to the case against Saddam Hussein, from the prosecution of Al-Qaeda terrorists to the trial of Somali pirates – no area of law is as important to world peace and security as international criminal law. Taught by one of the world’s leading experts in the field, this course will educate students about the fundamentals of international criminal law and policy. We will explore the contours of international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, terrorism, and piracy. We will examine unique modes of international criminal liability and specialized defenses. And we will delve into the challenges of obtaining custody of the accused and maintaining control of the courtroom. -- Course Syllabus -- This course comprises eight units (or "modules"). Each will include an assigned reading, typically an article or book chapter, as well as a simulation designed to bring the readings to life. I will also offer video lectures on each of the topics, accompanied by slides. In addition, there will be online role-play exercises and debates, enabling the students to share their own insights. The order of class sessions will be: (1) History: From Nuremberg to The Hague (2) International Crimes Part 1: War Crimes, Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, and Torture (3) International Crimes Part 2: Terrorism and Piracy (4) Special modes of liability: command responsibility, co-perpetration, and incitement (5) Special defenses: insanity, obedience to orders, duress, and head of state immunity (6) Gaining custody of the accused: extradition, luring, abduction, and targeted killing (7) Pre-Trial Issues: plea bargaining, self-representation, and exclusion of torture evidence (8) Maintaining control of the courtroom -- Recommended Background -- You don’t have to be a lawyer and there are no prerequisites for this course. However, the course will be conducted at the level expected of advanced undergraduate students. Therefore, for all participants, reading and writing comfortably in English at the undergraduate college level is desirable. -- Suggested Readings -- Students should read the assigned online materials for each unit in advance of the class session. In addition, students are invited to subscribe to “War Crimes Prosecution Watch,” a free bi-weekly e-newsletter that summarizes the latest developments in the field of international criminal law. -- Course Format -- This course is made up of eight content units. Each unit is based on an online reading assignment, a video lecture of about one hour in length, and one or more role play exercises to stimulate on-line discussion. The course also offers in-video enrichment quizzes (ungraded) for each unit, a ten question multiple choice midterm diagnostics exam (ungraded), and a ten question True/False Final Exam. -- FAQ-- How will this course be graded? This course is graded on completion. In order to complete the course each student must: (1) finish each module (or “lesson”); (2) write at least one essay response of 200 words or more for at least one simulation throughout the course; and (3) get a score of 6 out of 10 or better on the Final Exam. What resources will I need for this course? For this course, all you need is an Internet connection, and the time to read and discuss the exciting materials available online. What is the coolest thing about this course? The topics we will be discussing are ripped from the headlines. The topics are often controversial and thought-provoking, and always exciting....

Top reviews

AM

Sep 21, 2020

learned so much from this course, absolutely loved it, and the way the professor taught the lessons showed his experience and his knowledge even for fist timers it would be a great course to opt for.

LS

Oct 24, 2020

Extremely well-organized. Really glad to see how all previous examples and history records were referenced to every topic. Neatly explained topics. Every aspect was discussed and explained in detail.

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826 - 850 of 933 Reviews for Introduction to International Criminal Law

By AJIT K

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May 8, 2020

good

By Lisa Z

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Sep 10, 2017

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By René A M G

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Apr 11, 2017

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By Justin G M

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May 11, 2016

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Dec 12, 2015

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By Rajat K

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Oct 10, 2022

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By 蔡伏虎

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Apr 13, 2022

已学习

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Apr 3, 2021

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May 14, 2020

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By Turki m a

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Nov 27, 2017

جيد

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fun

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Jul 10, 2020

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By Marianne

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By Angelina M

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Sep 7, 2015

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By PK

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Feb 4, 2019

Interesting and captivating course with a lot of information to process, yet well explained and elaborated. I found some of the exercises / examples slightly confusing (perhaps under-explained?) and some of the statements made by the instructor unnecessarily judgmental. Especially when commenting on contexts he is not familiar with. Nothing major, but it did disrupt my perception of the course, as I have lived in quite a few of those contexts myself and certainly would not dare to be as bold in some of my statements as the instructor is. I also appreciate that the course has been running for a while and hence the feedback on the assignments is minimal, which would otherwise been quite useful. Overall though, I thought this was an extremely interesting course, genuinely recommended.

By Kemigisha P

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May 2, 2020

This course had been very very informative. Law is an inventive field. What interested me more was terrorism and piracy, pre-trial issues and maintaining control of the court room. I have gaining more skill on the art of advocacy and adjudication. Jurisprudence and case precedent analyses from different jurisdiction and international tribunals provided in the texts were enriching.

Thank you Professor Scharf . Your presentations are easily understood and elaborate.

By Charlotte C

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Aug 27, 2015

I have no foundation in criminology of any kind and thus, this was heavy stuff for me. I like how the videos paused at certain intervals to check if I understood what was being mentioned. It's also good to have online simulation for me to get things going.

I appreciate the inclusion of real life examples where I have heard of some of them before via newspapers. This brings it easier to be able to understand a little more.

By Sona S S

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May 18, 2020

I was really interested to learn Law and I've got a chance from a platform like Coursera, which is one of the popular online courses. A new experience to learn a new course, International Criminal Law. A truly deserving platform for the ones who wished to learn Law. I thank Professor Michael Scharf sir for helping all the students for a better learning about International Criminal Law.