Minnesota Journal of International Law

The Minnesota Journal of International Law is a student-led publication at the University of Minnesota Law School. We aspire to be a leader in the multidisciplinary study of international and comparative law. The Journal annually publishes two print volumes and one online edition.

Current Issue

Current Issue

MJIL Blog

The Balancing of Fair Process and Efficiency at the Olympic Gymnastics Floor Final

Stephanie Buersmeyer Background Gymnastics is one of the marquee events of the Olympic Games. Unfortunately, in Paris, the meet ended in controversy as the final event, the Women’s Floor Exercise Final, has been embroiled in legal disputes over the bronze medal. Jordan Chiles of USA Gymnastics (‘USAG’) competed last and,…

Illustrating Persisting Problems in the Art Black Market

Mlada Simper Theft, forgery, and money laundering – the art market has a surprising dark side. Debate rages on about how prevalent or profitable the underground art market truly is, but the Organized Crime Group of the UK Metropolitan Police and Interpol estimate that the art black market generates at…

Mercenaries. What Is the Law and Is It Followed?

Alec Casey The presence of mercenaries in modern conflicts has garnered media attention. From Blackwater in Iraq to the Wagner Group in Ukraine, mercenaries have become a ubiquitous presence in 21st century conflicts.[1] This raises important questions—What does international law have to say about mercenaries? Have state actors and other…

Whitewashing the Past: The Modern Legacy of the Theory Behind Buck v. Bell

Noah Richardson In 1927, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, wrote the opinion in Buck v. Bell that upheld Virginia’s forced sterilization law.[1] The statute, one of several that had been passed in states across the country, was part of a larger movement aimed…

The Wide Reach of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive

Emily Seitz The European Union (“EU”) presented the European Green Deal in December of 2019.[1] The European Green Deal consists of various policy instruments that will be used with the goal of creating a more sustainable European economy in areas like energy, agriculture, and industry.[2] The hope for the European…

El Salvador's Mano Dura: Balancing Order and Rights in the Shadow of Gang Violence

Laura Reyes, University of Minnesota Law Volume 34 Editor-in-Chief “We can arrest anyone we want,” a Salvadoran law enforcement officer remarked to a mother after detaining her son.[1] As of February 2024, more than 76,000 people—nearly two percent of the Salvadoran population—have been detained, imprisoned under inhumane conditions,[2] and are…