Key Questions

• Is justice universal, or does it stop at the border?

• What is international law, and who enforces it?

• Should nations be accountable to something higher than their own laws?

What Is International Law?

International law is a set of rules and agreements between nations, designed to promote peace, protect human rights, and govern global conduct. It includes:

• The Geneva Conventions (rules of war)

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• United Nations treaties and resolutions

• International courts like the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

But unlike national law, there is no world police. Compliance depends on cooperation—and often, political will.

Justice Without Power?

International justice often suffers from a power imbalance:

• Powerful countries can ignore rulings or withdraw from agreements

• Smaller nations may face sanctions or invasion for similar acts

• War crimes committed by allies are overlooked, while enemies are prosecuted

This raises a hard question:

Is international law really law—or just politics with a fancy name?

Humanitarian Intervention or Imperial Ambition?

When a country commits atrocities—such as genocide or ethnic cleansing—should the world intervene?

Proponents argue:

• The global community has a moral duty to act

• Sovereignty should not protect mass murderers

Critics respond:

• Interventions often hide economic or geopolitical interests

• Military action can cause more harm than good

The line between justice and empire is often blurred.

Global Inequality and Justice

International justice is not just about war. It’s also about:

• Climate change, where rich countries pollute but poor countries suffer

• Debt traps, where global institutions enforce poverty

• Vaccine access, where life-saving medicine depends on passport or profit

Can there be justice in a world where the accident of birth determines life or death?

Reflection Questions

• Who decides what counts as a war crime—or a “just war”?

• Should a country ever be forced to follow international law against its will?

• What role should the people (not just governments) play in shaping global justice?

Suggested Readings / Media

• The Rule of Law by Lord Tom Bingham

• International Human Rights in a Nutshell by Buergenthal & Shelton

• Documentary: The Reckoning (about the ICC)

• UN Reports on Climate Justice and Global Inequality

Discussion Prompts

• Is it ever justified to break national laws in order to uphold international ones?

• Should powerful countries be held to a higher standard—or the same?

• Can the idea of global justice be separated from colonial history?

Next Module Preview

Module 4 – Justice in the Courts: Trials, Juries, and Truth

Next, we explore what happens when justice enters the courtroom. How fair are trials? What is the role of evidence, argument, and judgment in the pursuit of truth?

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.