A second free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from the University of Glasgow is now open for registration.

The six-week programme being offered by the School of Law on Future Learn, the UK-led platform for delivering free, online courses, focuses on international relations.

The course – ‘Right vs Might in International Relations’ – will commence on 23 June and is being led by Christian Tams, Robin Geiss and Antonios Tzanakopoulos.

Anyone anywhere in the world with an internet connection can sign up for free to the course which will provide participants with video tutorials, reading materials, group discussions and assignments that can be completed in four hours per week.

The latest course will deliver an awareness of the role of the international law in disputes transcending national borders. It will centre on specific, high-profile disputes, with whose broad contours you are likely to be familiar.

The sessions will include case studies on Guantanamo Bay, Lethal Drone Strikes, Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Syrian Conflict, Counter-Piracy Operations, International Terrorism and Investment Disputes.

The purpose of this course is to assess whether, and to what extent, international law has been a factor in the resolution of international controversies.

During this course students will begin to learn about the role and the limits of international law as a tool for influencing behaviour and for settling disputes. As part of this, students will develop the strategic and critical thinking necessary to engage with legal problems and contemporary debates.

Glasgow is one of 26 university partners of FutureLearn, which is backed by the Open University. Other FutureLearn partners include the British Museum, the British Library and the British Council.

While not credit-bearing, free, online courses are seen as an excellent way for increasing knowledge and interest in different subject areas – useful for those looking to access university-level courses or people who simply have an interest in learning new things.

The University will be launching more courses on FutureLearn and more information about the courses available can be found on the FutureLearn website: www.futurelearn.com

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Media enquiries: Stuart.Forsyth@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 4831

First published: 23 April 2014