Skip to Main Content

War, weapons & victims : legal responses: IHL

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 armed conflicts, including ebooks, ejournals, and databases.

International humanitarian law: quick start

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is sometimes also referred to as the Law of Armed Conflict or the Laws of War.

Online resources to get you started

The first links 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.

Sources on the free web available to all

The Bodleian Law Library's collection is held across four floors. Each open to readers and accessible via both stairs and lift.

Most of the relevant materials for international humanitarian law will be on Level 3, one floor above the entrance level to the Law Bod. The books will be concentrated in the area with shelf marks beginning Internat 750.

Please use the tabs above to visit the other pages in this guide for further guidance.

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 Law Bod.

If you are interested in the concept of the Just War, the Bodleian Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library in the Radcliffe Humanities Building  may well have useful books. It is about a 30 minute walk from the Law Bod.

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.

Related Bodleian guides

Key library