UNSW Handbook Course - Human Rights Law in Practice NY Summer School

Human Rights Law in Practice NY Summer School - LAWS8146


	Faculty: Faculty of Law
	School: Faculty of Law
	Course Outline: See below
	Campus: Kensington Campus
	Career: Postgraduate
	Units of Credit: 6
	EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
	Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 24
	Enrolment Requirements:
	Prerequisite: Academic Program must be 9200, 9211 or 9230.
	CSS Contribution Charge:Band 3 (more info)
	Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
	Further Information: See Class Timetable

Description

Taught in conjunction with Columbia Law School’s Human Rights Institute, this two week intensive summer school examines the operation of human rights law in practice in international, regional and domestic U.S. and Australian contexts. Based in New York, the course draws together leading U.S. and international human rights lawyers to provide cutting-edge case studies from U.S. courts, regional human rights commissions and the UN system. It also provides students with doctrinal foundations in international human rights law and its incorporation into domestic law, as well as an introduction to the U.S. Bill of Rights and civil rights law. The course will be taught through a comparative U.S./Australian lens, and includes case studies on current human rights issues relevant to both countries. It encourages students to critically reflect on the efficacy of key institutions, actors and strategies to promote and protect human rights at home and abroad. The program will include field visits to the United Nations and other major New York landmarks and cultural institutions.

Places will be limited and by application only. Further information will be added to the UNSW Law website in March 2012.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

To gain an applied understanding of basic principles and sources of international human rights law and its international, regional and domestic enforcement frameworks;
To gain basic familiarity with the U.S. civil rights law framework, including the Bill of Rights, and how it compares with the Australian context;
Develop ability to critically analyse the efficacy of key institutions, actors and strategies to address contemporary human rights challenges in Australia and abroad;
Develop an appreciation of the structural, practical and ethical challenges of contemporary human rights legal practice.

Learning Outcomes

A candidate who has successfully completed this course should be able to:

Demonstrate familiarity with basic principles and sources of international human rights law and its international, regional and domestic enforcement frameworks;
Demonstrate a basic understanding of how human rights are protected withing the U.S. civil rights legal framework, including the role and limitations of the Bill of Rights and how it compares with the Australian context;
Engage in debate about contemporary human rights issues in the U.S. and Australia as informed by an understanding of the basic features and principles of both legal systems, as well as the international human rights framework;
Critically evaluate the efficacy of key institutions, actors and strategies that address specific contemporary human rights challenges in Australia and abroad
Critically analyse Australian legal, political and institutional responses to human rights issues from comparative and international perspectives;
Demonstrate an awareness of the structural, practical and ethical challenges of contemporary human rights legal practice, and apply these in the context of particular issues or cases.

Assessment

Class Participation 10%
Research Essay 90%

Course Texts

to be advised

Resources

A full up-to date reading list will be provided in the course outline.