Critical International Law

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Summer School modules are designed to be intensive, intellectually stimulating short courses. They are taught by King’s academics in academic disciplines where King's has expertise. Classes are highly international, giving students an opportunity to collaborate with peers from all around the globe.

Each module consists of 150 study hours, comprising 45 hours of intensive synchronous and asynchronous teaching, independent study and group work and is examined to university standards. Comparable to an in-semester 15-credit King’s undergraduate module and therefore typically awarded 3-4 US credits or 7.5 ECTS, many summer students ask their home institution to award them external credit for their King's summer module to use towards their degree programme when they return home.

David Harris famously described international law as nothing more than the ‘public law of Europe’. This observation reflected the Eurocentric origins of the discipline and its historical role as a mechanism of colonial domination. Far from being a neutral or universal system, international law emerged as part of a broader imperial project, embedding European norms and values into global governance structures. Its expansion across the world was not a benign process of legal diffusion but a formalised extension of colonial power, shaping the political and economic order in ways that privileged the Global North. 

This module on Critical International Law critically examines international law through historical and theoretical perspectives that challenge its claims of universality. It begins by exploring the colonial foundations of international law, focusing on doctrines such as discovery and terra nullius, which justified the dispossession of indigenous peoples and the appropriation of their lands. The module also interrogates the “civilizing mission” embedded in early legal thought and its influence on the formation of sovereignty and statehood. These discussions reveal how concepts like sovereignty, self-determination, and recognition were constructed to serve imperial interests. 

Building on this historical grounding, the module engages with critical approaches that expose the structural biases of international law. Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) highlight the persistence of colonial logics in contemporary legal regimes, while feminist and postcolonial critiques reveal the gendered and racialized dimensions of international norms. Marxist perspectives further illuminate the relationship between international law and global capitalism, particularly in areas such as trade, investment, and development. 

The module applies these critical lenses to key doctrinal areas. It examines the law of war and the use of force, tracing the evolution from “just wars” to modern humanitarian interventions and questioning their legitimacy. International human rights law is analysed as both a site of emancipation and a potential instrument of neo-colonial control. Other topics include state formation and sovereignty, the politics of climate justice, and migration and refugee law as mechanisms of exclusion and control.

Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to  

• Explain the historical entanglement of international law with colonialism and imperialism. 

• Critically analyse the biases embedded in international legal doctrines by examining various elements of the discipline.  

• Explain the merits and limitations of alternative visions of international law proposed by TWAIL, feminist, and Marxist scholars. 

• Evaluate the prospects for reform and transformation in the international legal order 

The King's College London Undergraduate Summer School is open to students who are currently, or have been, enrolled in an undergraduate degree programme. We also welcome applications from professionals who have substantial relevant experience in their chosen subject area.

Entry requirements

• Open to students who are currently, or have been, enrolled in an undergraduate degree. We also welcome applications from professionals who have substantial relevant experience in their chosen subject area.
• Minimum grade requirement of 2:1 degree equivalent. See International grade equivalents on our Undergraduate Summer School homepage, under Entry requirements.
• English language requirement of at least level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). See full English Language requirements on our Undergraduate Summer School homepage, under Entry requirements.
• Minimum age at the start of the course is 18 years old.

Coursework (85%), Group Presentation (15%) 

Students should expect to be on campus for 4–5 hours per day, usually scheduled between 9:00–13:00 or 14:00–18:00. 

As per the fees listed above, booking two sessions receives a discount. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts of promotions. Subject to availability at the time of application.

More information on our fees, entry requirements and residential package can be found on the Undergraduate Summer School homepage.

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