Joining the Conversation: Teaching Research Methods and Academic Legal Writing for International Law

In ‘The Outside Keeps Creeping In,’ Sué González Hauck criticises the orthodox methods of legal scholarship. She argues that these methods neglect the ‘non-doctrinal’ and ‘extra-legal’ aspects of the law. I agree with her critique, especially in the context of international law. International law is a global legal system that does not belong to any specific country, culture, or language. It is also a practice of argumentation, not just a fixed collection of rules (Koskenniemi, p. 2). Adopting an orthodox perspective on international law ignores its complexity and diversity, which leads to various problems in legal epistemology, source interpretation, and legal education.

In this text, I will focus on the last issue. I will not restate González Hauck’s critique of the orthodox approach. Instead, I will offer a short ‘pedagogic proposal’ based on my experience as an international law teacher, student, researcher, and writer. I am far from an expert, but I hope to share some insights that might give both students and teachers something to consider. As a student, I struggled with the orthodox teaching methods of legal research in international law. As a teacher, many of my students face similar challenges. My proposal is aimed at undergraduate-level teaching but might also apply to graduate-level academics. Before beginning, I should clarify that these are my personal views and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the institutions with which I am associated.