Description
“International peace and security” is a concept of the utmost value for contemporary international relations and essentially refers to the maintenance of the international status quo against potential threats. The coming of the Information Age not only radically changed domestic societies as well as the international community but also added a new, important dimension to international security: Cybersecurity – in other words, a corpus of technological, political as well as legal means designed to protect the so-called ‘cyberspace’ from ‘cyber-threats’ - became a new area of concern for States, business stakeholders and individuals. The emphasis, in this course, is on the role of international law with respect to the maintenance of cybersecurity in international relations.
Objectives
The course seeks to outline the threats to cybersecurity, by taking into consideration the relevant international practice as well as by providing a thorough reflection on future challenges. At a second level, emphasis is given on the legal responses that international law in force can provide, so as to detect any shortcomings and propose adequate legal remedies.
Contents
- Listing the principal threats and clarifying the relevant concepts: Cyberspace, cyber defense, international cybercrime, cyber attacks and cyber operations, cyber warfare, cyber terrorism, cybersecurity.
- Applying international law in cyberspace: Prohibition on the use of force and self-defense in cyberspace; extraterritorial criminal jurisdiction of States with respect to international cybercrime; the applicability of international humanitarian law; aspects of State responsibility for (internationally wrongful) cyber acts; settlement of (cyber) disputes; legal remedies for cyber terrorist activities; exploring the possibility of using new approaches: towards an international regulation of cyberspace as an autonomous space (?)
Academic Requirements
Students are expected to have in-depth knowledge of public international law.
Teaching method
Interactive, discussion-based lectures, with student participation. Course files will be distributed prior to classes.
Lecturer
Assistant Professor George D. Kyriakopoulos
Assessment and testing
· Final written exam, essay questions - 2 hours (80%)
· Alternatively: Individual dissertation - 7.000-9.000 words (80%).
· Class participation (20%).