CENTER FOR ETHICS AND THE RULE OF LAW​
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CERL's Mission

The Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) is a non-partisan interdisciplinary institute dedicated to preserving and promoting ethics and the rule of law in national security, warfare, and democratic governance. CERL draws from the study of law, philosophy, and ethics to answer the difficult questions that arise in domestic and transnational crises and conflicts. more

CERL 2024 Summer Interns
Symposium on Threats to the Rule of Law and National Security
National Security and Journalism in a World of Alternative Facts
Tabletop Exercise to Assess the Risk of Civil Unrest and Threats to the Rule of Law in the 2024 Presidential Election
Tabletop Exercise to Assess the Risk of Civil Unrest and Threats to the Rule of Law in the 2024 Presidential Election
CERL's 2024 Summer Internship Program
The Promises and Perils of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Weaponry
The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau’s Code of Excellence
The Reauthorization Debate: Charting the Path Ahead for FISA Section 702
The Reauthorization Debate: Charting the Path Ahead for FISA Section 702
 

NEWS & UPDATES

Events

Apr 14

The Trump Administration, the Rule of Law, and the Future of Business

Apr 11

Symposium on Threats to the Rule of Law and National Security

Mar 26

National Security and Journalism in a World of Alternative Facts

Jan 30

Nuclear Weapons and International Law 2025: Nuclear Risks through a Legal Lens

Jan 15

CERL/Brennan Center Roundtable on Domestic Military Deployments to Assist or Participate in Civilian Law Enforcement

Oct 09

Tabletop Exercise Assessing the Risk of Civil Unrest Surrounding the 2024 Presidential Election – Part II

Sep 18

Tabletop Exercise Assessing the Risk of Civil Unrest Surrounding the 2024 Presidential Election – Part I

May 28

2024 CERL Summer Internship Program

May 24

High-level Roundtable on the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP)

All Events
CERL Media
Mary Ellen O'Connell

Abiding by the UN Charter is the ‘surest path to peace’ in Iran-Israel conflict

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Changing how the Pentagon budgets is a ‘strategic imperative’

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AUKUS security pact could face strain as courts increasingly consider challenges to executive authority

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‘Congressional quiescence’ on matters connected to authorizations of military force

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Science-based approaches are ‘more effective’ than coercive methods at gathering accurate intelligence

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General Votel comments on evolving situation in Iran

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Job announcement: Staff writer

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Legal principles governing the president’s use of the military for domestic purposes

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Did President Trump have the legal authority to attack Iran’s nuclear sites?

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Denying U.S. institutions federal funds for not complying with the president’s agenda is ‘extortionate’ and ‘unconstitutional’

Mary Ellen O'Connell

Israel’s strikes on Iran were a ‘serious violation of international law’

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Israel was ‘doubly justified’ in attacking Iran’s nuclear weapons program

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Center For Ethics and the Rule of Law

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Penn CERL holds public symposium on threats to the rule of law and U.S. democracy