LAWS 2074 ‑ International Human Rights Law

CREDIT HOURS: 3

This course offers an introduction to the theory and practice of human rights. Drawing on critical discourses, we will examine the international and domestic laws, actors, and institutions that play a role in the protection of human rights. We will focus on the major sources of international human rights law including treaties, customary international law, international soft law, and domestic law. Key mechanisms of human rights protection also will be discussed including, multilateral organizations (e.g. the United Nations Security Council and Human Rights Council); international, regional, and national courts and tribunals; and quasi-judicial treaty bodies (e.g. the U.N. Committee Against Torture) We will also examine the role of a range of non-State actors. For example, international non-governmental organizations like Amnesty International, Red-Cross, and Human Rights Watch; and multi-national corporations. Our in-class discussions will consider critical perspectives on the human rights regime from feminists, Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) scholars, and connections between business and human rights.

ENROLMENT: Limited to 16 students.

Prerequisite(s): None.
Co-requisite(s): None.
Assessment Method: Seminar Present: 20%; Major Research Paper: 80%.
Restrictions: None.