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

Protests Continue to Roil France as President Macron Ponders Pension Changes

Thorin Wenner On March 23, there were chaotic scenes in Paris as police clashed with anarchists and other protesters in the French capital.[1] This was the ninth successive day of protesting, and they were not just limited to Paris; train and air travel across the country were disrupted by protests.[2]…

Better Late Than Never? How Pope Francis Upped the Ante in Greece’s Negotiation with the British Museum Regarding the Repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles

Laura Phillipp Tucker Did Lord Elgin know he was creating a centuries-long strife when he took The Parthenon Marbles—a collection of Ancient Greek sculptures—from the Parthenon in Athens to London in 1799?[1] The marble statues currently housed in the British Museum are from the 5th Century B.C. and were part…

Sri Lanka Local Elections Delayed: Government Cites Financial Concerns to Cover Corruption & Delays

Suzanne Mead A small island country off of the coast of India, Sri Lanka rarely makes U.S. headlines.[1] Yet, a majority of people in the U.S. agree that democracy is the best system of government and with democracy comes elections of a country’s leaders.[2] The country of Sri Lanka has…

Minnesota’s Anti-BDS Law is Safe From Constitutional Challenges for the Foreseeable Future

Joanna Curry Following the lead of U.S. foreign policy and consistently with over 30 other states, in 2017 Minnesota passed a law that prohibits the state government from contracting with any entity that participates in an anti-Israeli movement known as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions).[1] The Minnesota bill passed with…

International Law v. “International Practice”: Critiquing the American Response to Unmanned Flying Objects Over United States Territory

Funsho Delé Nwabuzor The recent international incident regarding the purported Chinese spy balloon that flew over United States territory has been closely watched and commented on by international news media organizations and even other authors in this journal. There remain debates, however, regarding the height to which airspace remains sovereign…

What Happened in Qatar?: Examining the Corruption Scandal Surrounding the 2022 World Cup

Josh Mone Background In 2010, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, the then-Prime Minister of Qatar, traveled to France to pitch the almost fantastical idea of hosting the world’s largest sporting event.[1] A few months later, despite lacking any meaningful soccer tradition or even basic soccer infrastructure such as stadiums, the…