The Laws of War in Global History

What are the modern laws of war and how have they changed since they were first codified in the 1860s? What does it mean to wage a lawful war? Course readings focus on central through lines of the history of the laws of war: colonial hierarchies and exclusions, the problem of new weaponry, the conflict between humanity and military necessity, and law as wartime morality. We will also reflect on past and ongoing violations of the laws of war and discuss responses to such transgressions. Chronologically, discussions will range from the 1864 Geneva Conventions to the role of international humanitarian law in the Syrian Civil War and the Russo-Ukrainian War today.