This course discusses how international law can be, and is, enforced in domestic courts. Domestic courts are of critical importance for international law. They supplement the enforcement machinery of international law. Mostly, international law is enforced in interstate relations through diplomacy, 'self-help', international organisations and, sometimes, international judicial procedures such as the International Court of Justice. But, it is an established fact that at times international law is not enforced in these ways.
Domestic courts fill gaps left open by international machinery.
The aim of the course is to provide an understanding of when and how international law can or cannot be invoked before domestic courts and be applied by these courts. The examples are taken from many different issue-areas, ranging from nuclear weapons to human rights to trade law to environmental law. The contents of some of those instruments will be elaborated by considering the status and entitlements of minorities, indigenous peoples, and refugees, respectively.