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

MJIL Blog

Children of Service Members May No Longer Be Eligible for Automatic Citizenship

October 14, 2019

By Lauren Russ In August, President Trump renewed fears of an attack on Birthright Citizenship when he confirmed at a press conference that he is “seriously” considering ending[1] the Constitutionally protected right to citizenship for individuals born in the United States. [2] While the President has not yet acted on these statements, his administration is […]

In Push by Pentagon’s Non-Lethal Weapons Office for Implementation of New Tools There is Benefit in Mentioning Legal Framework

October 7, 2019

By Brennan Lee Non-Lethal Weapons (NLW) “are explicitly designed and primarily employed so as to incapacitate personnel or materiel, while minimizing fatalities, permanent injury to personnel, and undesired damage to property and the environment.”[1] Despite the name, Non-Lethal Weapons do not include “any complete assurance against lethal effects of the weaponry. The effort is to […]

Volume 28, Issue 2 (Summer 2019) – Now Online

August 19, 2019

Volume 28, Issue 2

Israeli Election Review: Netanyahu wins another term as Prime Minister

May 1, 2019

By Andrew Mccarty, Staff Member On April 9, 2019, Israel held national congressional elections to determine the 120 new representatives of the 21st Knesset[1], and importantly, the next Prime Minister of Israel. National elections in Israel were originally scheduled for the end of 2019, but in late 2018 the previous Knesset was dissolved over a […]

Supreme Court Opens the Door for Litigations Alleging Wrongdoing Committed by International Organizations

April 10, 2019

By Linfan (Derek) Zha Budha Ismail Jam and his family have fished at Tragadi bunder, a small harbor on the Gujarat, India, for generations.[1] In the nearby village of Navinal, Ranubha Jadeja and many other farmers use well-water to grow cotton, wheat, and other crops.[2] These fishermen and farmers all worked hard to scratch out […]

A Revised Take on the Immunity of International Organizations in U.S. Courts: Jam v. International Finance Corporation

March 29, 2019

By Colin Trundle, Staff Member Introduction In a recent decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled international organizations possess only the same sovereign immunity that foreign governments enjoy under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA).[1] This ruling undoubtedly impacts all international organizations that operate in the United States. Procedural Posture The Defendant, International Finance Corporation […]

Right to Privacy in the Age of Big Data: Singapore’s HIV Leak

March 17, 2019

By Meghan Knapp, Staff Member On January 22, HIV-positive residents in Singapore received a phone call from the government telling them that their information had been leaked from a private government database.[1] The massive data breach affected more than 14,000 people, all of whom had been forced to put their information into the national registry […]

Volume 28, Issue 1 (Winter 2019) – Now Online

February 28, 2019

Volume 28, Issue 1

Krafting a Narrative: How We Trivialize Human Trafficking

February 27, 2019

Michelle Rodenburg, Staff Member On Monday, February 25, 2019, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution for paying for sex in a spa in Jupiter, Florida.[1] Kraft’s arrest was part of a human trafficking sting which has resulted in the charging of 173 men.[2] Kraft is worth a […]

Moon Race 2.0: The Legal Regime Surrounding the Commercialization of Space

February 22, 2019

Nathan Donnelly, Staff Member On February 21st, 2019 SpaceIL, an Israeli nonprofit organization, successfully launched what could become the first private spacecraft to touchdown on the moon.[1] Although SpaceIL is currently the only private organization to successfully launch a moon rover, it is not alone in this endeavor. In 2007, the Google Lunar X Prize […]