Purpose of this guide
This guide is intended for students and researchers studying public international law at the University of Oxford, although students and researchers from any field may find it useful.
Use this guide to find out about sources and commentary for the laws and norms of international humanitarian law (the law relating to war (eg conduct and consequences), including ebooks, ejournals, and databases.
Using this guide
Navigate through this guide by clicking on the pertinent tab in the range you can see above this box (below the main title of this guide).
Separate guides exist which may help you further in this and related studies.
International Humanitarian Law: quick start
IHL is sometimes also referred to as the Laws of War or Law of Armed Conflict
Online resources to get you started
The first links (indicated by the information button) are for holders of an Oxford Single Sign On only.
The rest are on the free web.
Other pages of this guide will reveal more online resources - in both categories.
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IHL: answers to your questionsFree resource. Pdf produced in 2003 by ICRC. Useful introduction.
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Drones in Humanitarian Action. A Guide to the Use of Airborne Systems in Humanitarian CrisesFree resource 2016 report from Swiss Foundation for Mine Action, CartONG
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International Committee of the Red Cross: War & Law web pagesFree resource. ICRC is the primary non-governmental international body for IHL. It has both encouraged - indeed still encourages - developments and improvements and monitors the implementation of the norms of IHL in the real world. The website includes much of use - in particular three databases: Treaty database and States Party, Customary IHL database (for direct links click on the Sources tab) & ICRC national implementation database.
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Geneva CallFree resource. "Geneva Call was launched in March 2000 as a neutral and impartial humanitarian organization dedicated to engaging NSAs towards compliance with IHL and IHRL norms, consistent with common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. The organization focuses on NSAs involved in situations of armed conflict that operate outside effective State control and are primarily motivated by political goals. These include armed movements, de facto authorities, and non-internationally recognized States."
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RULAC: Rule of law in armed conflicts projectFree resource. "... an initiative of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights to support the application and implementation of international law in armed conflict. Through its global database and analysis, the Project aims ultimately to report on every concerned State and disputed territory in the world, considering both the legal norms that apply as well as the extent to which they are respected by the relevant actors"
Printed resources on Level 3 of the Law Bod
Treaties, law reports and journals are not arranged according to subject, but commentaries (textbooks etc) are grouped into subject areas.
These are the sections most likely to contain useful material:
| Human rights, refugees etc | Internat 570 |
| War crimes, trials etc | Internat 580 |
| War & armed conflict | Internat 750 |
| Termination of war | Internat 760 |
Some broad brush subject searches to use in SOLO:
Humanitarian law
Combatants and noncombatants (International law)
Humanitarian assistance
Humanitarianism
Human rights monitors;
Humanitarian intervention
War (International law)
War -- Protection of civilians;
War crimes (International law)
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Handbook of International Humanitarian Law by Call Number: Internat 750 F593c3ISBN: 9780199658800Publication Date: 3rd edn, 2013Holders of an Oxford SSO can also read this online via link -
Advanced Introduction to International Humanitarian Law by Call Number: Internat 750 K81bISBN: 1783477512Publication Date: 2014 -
The Conduct of Hostilities under the Law of International Armed Conflict by Call Number: Internat 750 D587b3ISBN: 9781107118409Publication Date: 3rd edn 2016 -
Documents on the Laws of War by Call Number: Law Reserve Collection KC1350.ROB 2001ISBN: 0198763905Publication Date: (3rd edn, 2000)Check that there have not been developments since this work was published in 2000
SOLO searches may reveal that other Bodleian Libraries hold materials which would also support your research
The Bodleian Social Science Library holds the collection for the Department of Politics and International Relations.
It is in the building next door to the Bodleian Law Library
The Bodleian's History collections are held invarious buildings on the central Bodleian site: the Radcliffe Camera and the Old Bod. These are about 15 minute walk away from the Law Bod.
If you are researching a war in which the USA was involved, you may find a visit to the Vere Harmsworth Library useful. This is about a 20 minute walk away from the Law Bod.
If you are interested in the concept of the Just War, then the Bodleian Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library is in the Radcliffe Humanities Building about a 30 minute walk from the Law Bod.
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Bodleian Philosophy and Theology Faculty LibraryLibrary's website for details of opening hours etc
Subject Guide
