With the research component of your class in mind, we have compiled a listing of useful resources for the topic of international humanitarian law. If you have any questions, please request a student consult with a librarian using the form linked on the left hand side of this guide.
Use these sources for background information and finding other sources.
Research guides from NYU Law School's GlobaLex provide information on legal systems, official sources, and other resources. International law topics include Defining Terrorism in International Law, Transitional Justice in Africa, and Researching the International Weapons Law, and there is an extensive list of country guides under Foreign Law Research.
Georgetown Law Library's collection of research guides includes guides to resources on International Arms Control, the International Criminal Court, and War Crimes.
Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law (Oxford Public International Law): Articles on topics within international law, with subject areas including International Humanitarian Law and Use of Force, War, Peace, and Neutrality. Articles include bibliographies and document links, and the Oxford Law Citator with citation form for documents, links to documents, and a citator for finding related documents.
Max Planck Encyclopedia of International Procedural Law (Oxford Public International Law): Articles on procedural issues in international courts and complaints procedures, including bibliographies, document and case citations, and the Oxford Law Citator .
Oxford International Organizations: Key primary documents of international organizations with commentary. Includes resolutions, treaties, decisions, reports, rules, statements, and guidelines. Articles include links to journal articles and materials cited and the Oxford Law Citator.
Parry and Grant's Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law (Oxford Reference). Definitions of international law terms with citations to primary documents.
Dictionary of International Human Rights Law: Definitions of terms specific to international human rights law, including treaties and documents
CRS (Congressional Research Service) reports are prepared for congressional committees and staff on topics including international law and U.S. foreign policy. Find a complete collection on Proquest Congressional, an extensive free collection arranged by topic at EveryCRSReport.com, and a more selective collection focusing on national security topics at the Federation of American Scientists.
Academic Search Complete: Multi-disciplinary database of full-text scholarly journals, searchable by full-text and fields. Many articles are available in PDF.
CIAO (Columbia International Affairs Online): Database of journal articles, working papers, and policy briefs from NGOs and research institutes.
PAIS (Public Affairs International): Searchable index of articles, books, policy papers, and government documents in public policy, social policy, and social sciences. Results as citations and abstracts with Find it @ Emory links.
JSTOR has full-text articles in non-law disciplines including international relations, peace and conflict studies, and political science.
Foreign Affairs magazine. (Council on Foreign Relations; also available on Lexis, Ebsco, and Hein Online): Periodical on U.S. foreign policy and global affairs.
Law review articles frequently address international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict. Find law review articles on Westlaw, Lexis, and Hein Online. Hein Online also has articles from non-U.S. journals in International and Non-U.S. Law Journals and indexed (sometimes with full-text) in Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals.
Current Index to Legal Periodicals on Hein Online is a weekly index service arranged by subject area for finding recent law review articles. Subject areas include Human Rights Law; International Law; Terrorism; and Military, War and Peace. Browse the subject list by week, or you can search for articles.
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Treatises and other secondary sources will provide you with background information, analysis, and citations to primary resources as you start your research.
Use Emory Libraries Advanced Search to find print treatises and ebooks. Print materials on the subject of international humanitarian law can be found around KZ6471. Ebook databases with titles on international law include Oxford Scholarship Online, Cambridge Books Online, and ElgarOnline; find titles with database links by searching the catalog.
International Law and Armed Conflict by
International Law and Armed Conflict shows how the law informs operational and policy decision-making. Placing the law of armed conflict in context with related fields, such as human rights law and national security law, the text provides a complete framework for understanding legal paradigms during and after conflict. New to the Second Edition: New technologies and the law of armed conflict, including cyber, unmanned aerial vehicles and autonomous weapons systems The conflict in Syria, including ISIS, genocide and chemical weapons attacks Humanitarian assistance and the challenges of protecting the civilian population in urban conflicts Contemporary debates regarding detention in non-international armed conflict, human rights law, and targeted killing
The Law in War by
This book provides a comprehensive yet concise overview of key issues related to the regulation of armed hostilities between States, and between States and non-State groups. Coverage begins with an explanation of the conditions that result in the applicability of international humanitarian law, and then subsequently addresses how the law influences a broad range of operational, humanitarian, and accountability issues that arise during military operations. Each chapter provides a clear and comprehensive explanation of humanitarian law, focusing especially on how it impacts operations. The chapters also highlight both contemporary controversies in the field and potentially emerging norms of the law. The book is an ideal text for students studying international humanitarian law for the first time, as well as an excellent introduction for students and practitioners of public international law and international relations.
The Oxford Guide to International Humanitarian Law by
The Oxford Guide to International Humanitarian Law offers a comprehensive and authoritative exposition of the field. Each chapter illuminates how the law applies in practice, but does not shy away from the important conceptual issues that underpin how the law has developed. It will serve as a first port of call and a regular reference work for those interested in international humanitarian law.
Humanizing the Laws of War by
Over the past 150 years, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been one of the main drivers of progressive development in international humanitarian law, whilst assuming various roles in the humanization of the laws of war. With select contributions from international experts, this book critically assesses the ICRC's unique influence in international norm creation. It provides a detailed analysis of the workings of the International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement and ICRC by addressing the milestone achievements as well as the failures, shortcomings and controversies over time.
Occupation and Control in International Humanitarian Law by
This book presents a systematic analysis of the notion of control in the law of military occupation. The work demonstrates that in present-day occupations, control as such occurs in different forms and variations. The polymorphic features of occupation can be seen in the way states establish control over territory either directly or indirectly, and in the manner in which they retain, relinquish or regain it. The question as to what level and type of control is needed to determine the existence and ending of military occupation is explored in great detail in light of various international humanitarian law instruments.
The Humanitarian Fix by
This book investigates how humanitarians balance the laws and principles of civilian protection with the realities of contemporary warzones, where non-state armed actors assert cultural, political and religious traditions that are often at odds with official frameworks. This book argues that humanitarian protection on the ground is driven not by official frameworks in the traditional sense, but by the relationships between the complex mix of actors involved in contemporary wars. The frameworks, in turn, act as a unifying narrative that preserves these relationships. As humanitarian practitioners navigate this complex space, they act as unofficial brokers, translating the official frameworks to align with the often-divergent agendas of non-state armed actors. In doing so, they provide an unofficial humanitarian fix for the challenges inherent in applying the official frameworks in contemporary wars.
Oslo Manual on Select Topics of the Law of Armed Conflict Rules and Commentary by 
HPCR Practitioner's Handbook on Monitoring, Reporting, and Fact-Finding by
This book offers a portrait of the practice of monitoring, reporting, and fact-finding in the domain of human rights, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. By analyzing the experiences of fifteen missions implemented over the course of the past decade, the book illuminates the key issues that these missions face and offers a roadmap for practitioners working on future missions. This book is the result of a five-year research study led by the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University, Massachusetts. Based on extensive interviews conducted with fact-finding practitioners, this book consists of two parts. Part I offers a handbook that details methodological considerations for the design and implementation of fact-finding missions and commissions of inquiry. Part II - which consists of chapters written by scholars and practitioners - presents a more in-depth, scholarly examination of past fact-finding practices.
ICRC Newsroom (International Committee of the Red Cross): News, video, new documents, and press releases related to humanitarian emergencies and the work of the ICRC.
ASIL (American Society of International Law) blogs include:
Global Legal Monitor (Law Library of Congress): Legal news stories, in English, on foreign and international law. Search by keyword or topic, or browse by topic (war, war crimes, genocide) or by jurisdiction (countries and international courts).
UN News: Portal of UN news on its activities, including topic areas in Advanced Search for Peace & Security and Migrants & Refugees. There is also a keyword search. Subscribe to daily or weekly updates by topic.
Security Council Report: Tracks issues considered by the UN Security Council and collects the relevant Security Council Resolutions and other documents. Includes monthly forecasts, research reports, and key UN documents. Find pages by country or region, or by thematic and general issues.
Just Security blog: Blog on U.S. national security law and policy. The blog archives includes an extensive topic list.
Lawfare blog: Blog on national security and the law of armed conflict. Extensive topics list includes Laws of War, War Powers, LOAC, Security Policy in Depth.
Forced Migration Current Awareness: "A service highlighting open access reports and scholarly materials relating to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other forced migrants."
