War, Peace, and Law
Event Date: 4th August 2025
Location: Online, Monday, August 4, 2025 → Sunday, September 14, 2025.
The rule of law is invoked more than ever—yet violated with growing impunity by governments, militaries, corporations, and political elites around the world. Rights are eroded. Justice is delayed. War is normalized, while peace is dismissed or declared unrealistic.
That is why we created Reserve your spot.
Why this course matters
War is prohibited under the UN Charter and other international laws—yet it is escalating. Armed conflict, military buildup, and a global culture of violence continue to spread, fueled by a War System that defies the very norms it claims to uphold.
Peace is a right—but it is in decline. It remains fragile, violated by those who profess to protect it.
Law is a tool—and like any tool, it can be used for good or for harm. It can uphold systems of violence—or serve as a catalyst for positive change—depending on who defines it, how it is applied, and whether people are empowered to comply, challenge, or transform it.
Still, the promise of the rule of law endures. It can be reclaimed—demilitarized, democratized, and redirected toward peace, accountability, and structural change.
This course is an invitation to join that effort.
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It explores what legal systems are and how laws and institutions define, enable, or restrict war, peace, and justice. It examines why law matters—how it shapes violence and restraint, protects or undermines rights, and affects the lives of those impacted by conflict. And it investigates how law is applied—whether to justify aggression or to challenge militarism through education, resistance, reform, and advocacy.
[Watch the short video about the course:
What you will learn
Over six weeks, you will:
· Unpack key laws on war, weapons, peace, and human rights—and examine how they function in practice.
· Explore how legal systems—including constitutions and treaties—are upheld, ignored, or distorted during times of war and crisis.
· Analyze case studies from Palestine, Ukraine, Iraq, Myanmar, and beyond—revealing how legal norms are applied, resisted, or bypassed.
· Investigate how courts, campaigns, and institutions can challenge militarism and pursue justice.
· Envision legal pathways beyond war — grounded in human dignity, accountability, and nonviolence
Register now – course starts soon
· Dates: Monday, August 4, 2025 → Sunday, September 14, 2025.
· Register here: https://worldbeyondwar.org/war-peace-law-an-online-course
How the course works
This is a fully online, self-paced course—accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
The course is hosted on an interactive learning platform. You will receive login details and guidance after registering—no Zoom link is required to begin.
The course includes:
Six weekly modules with text, video, and interactive tools. Content is self-paced, with new materials released weekly
Peer-to-peer exchange with a global cohort
Expert guidance from guest facilitators
Three optional live Zoom sessions with legal experts and peacebuilders
Certificate of Completion from World BEYOND War
Time commitment
The course is designed to fit your schedule. You choose your level of engagement:
· 1–2 hours/week for core content
· 1–3 hours/week for discussion and live sessions
· 2+ hours/week for optional written assignments (required for certificate)
Meet your facilitators
· Yurii Sheliazhenko, PhD (Ukraine) is a legal scholar, human rights defender, and Board Member of World BEYOND War. He serves as Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement and lectures on legal theory and history. He holds Master’s degrees in both Law, and in Mediation and Conflict Management, and is a recipient of the 2022 Sean MacBride Peace Prize.
· Hans Hedrich (Romania) is a political scientist, environmental activist, and civil rights advocate from the multiethnic region of Transylvania, Romania, and a co-coordinator of the World BEYOND War Romania Chapter.
· Daniel Carlsen (Bolivia/Norway) is a lawyer specializing in corporate law and social responsibility. A peace educator and member of WBW’s Bolivia Chapter, he has coordinated projects in Bolivia and is currently working on a proposal to advance peace education and the training of young leaders in Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.
Additional facilitators will be announced shortly.
Who this course is for
This course is for anyone interested in the war–peace–law nexus. Especially relevant for:
· Peacebuilders, educators, and legal professionals
· Human rights defenders, journalists, and students
· Activists, policymakers, and organizers
· Anyone questioning the legality of war today
What participants are saying
World BEYOND War’s global alumni network includes more than 3,000 people of all ages and backgrounds. Here is what a few have said of past courses:
“This course transformed my understanding of what real protection means. As a Palestinian lawyer and refugee, I discovered that unarmed strategies are not only effective but deeply empowering. They offer hope where weapons have failed.”
— Montaser Abdullah
“The course gave deep insight into how much there is to learn in this field—and how to apply it in real life. I look forward to continuing to apply what I’ve learned in ‘real life’ and hopefully I will get the chance to take more courses with World BEYOND War.”
— Evelina Rönnbäck, photographer and writer, Sweden
“Energizing, informative, and rewards you for wanting to learn. Feedback was honest and insightful. Assignments were creative and diverse. Would absolutely recommend to anyone interested in building a better world.”
— Joshua Baker, PhD
In peace and solidarity,
Phill Gittins, PhD
Education Director
World BEYOND War
[email protected]