Against the background of the evolving character of conflicts and the development of so-called hybrid conflicts, the project considers the classification of modern conflicts and the law applicable to them.

The law will be discussed in relation to major legal issues of controversy which present difficulty to the military, in particular to (a) the application of force (ie when to open fire) and (b) the capture of personnel (Detainees/Internees/prisoners of war/etc) and their resultant treatment.

In relation to these two issues and to other major legal issues of controversy, there is a perception that the international legal rules are controversial or unclear in certain kinds of situations. The project will consider what are the causes of this perceived problem and will seek to establish whether the problem is attributable to the classification of conflicts, or, if not, the causes of the difficulty, for example the applicability or inapplicability of rules of international human rights or the lack or unclarity of rules of international humanitarian law.

The project will identify recent situations of conflict or occupation to use as case studies, in relation to which the issues of difficulty can be examined and the causes of any problems discussed. Workshops will be held with the participation of a core group of international lawyers and representatives of the military.

For more information please contact Elizabeth Wilmshurst.