Law Courses Catalog

NOTE: This course description is new for the 2016-2017 academic year. You may read the prior course description immediately below this new one. 

2016-2017

This class analyzes contemporary international human rights: their historical and philosophical bases, their substantive content, and the procedural and institutional means for their enforcement. The course focuses on global human rights activity and emphasizes the legal dimension of human rights rather than their moral or political aspects.

Assessment is based primarily on a research paper to be submitted by the end of the semester on a topic in international human rights law of each student’s choice, subject to instructor approval. Each student will give a class presentation on their paper topic. Evaluation will also be based on class participation. Student research papers may satisfy either the Capstone writing requirement or no formal writing requirement. Only a few students will be allowed to do the Capstone. How these few will be chosen will be discussed the first day of class.

NOTE: The below course description applied prior to the 2016-2017 academic year.

Limit: 16 students

This seminar aims to analyze contemporary international human rights: their historical and philosophical bases, their substantive content and the institutions and processes for their enforcement. The focus is on global (essentially United Nations) activity. The course emphasizes the legal dimension of human rights rather than the moral or political aspects.

Assessment is based on a research paper to be submitted by the end of the semester on a topic in international human rights of each student’s choice, subject to approval. It is expected that each student’s class presentation will be on the topic of this paper. All WIE and Capstone paper candidates must submit an outline by the end of September and a draft by Thanksgiving.

This seminar meets the WIE or Capstone writing requirements.