Human Rights Law in Practice - Columbia NY Summer - LAWS3146
Faculty: Faculty of Law
School: Faculty of Law
Course Outline: See below
Campus: Kensington Campus
Career: Undergraduate
Units of Credit: 6
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
Enrolment Requirements:
Pre-requisite: Crime & Criminal Process (LAWS1021/JURD7121) & Criminal Laws (LAWS1022/JURD7122) OR Crim. Law 1 (LAWS1001/JURD7101) & Crim. Law 2 (LAWS1011/JURD7111). Co-requisite: Litigation 1 [LAWS2311/ JURD7211] OR Res. Civil Disp. (LAWS2371/JURD7271)
CSS Contribution Charge: 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.
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 paper 90%
Research paper 90%
Course Texts
to be advised
Resources
A full up-to date reading list will be provided in the course outline.