International Human Rights Law – 6886

This class will provide an introduction to international human rights: law, policy, and process. The class will focus on different aspects of the study of international human rights to provide a representative sampling of the subject through: 1) various procedural mechanisms, 2) diverse institutional settings, 3) actors at national, regional and global levels, and 4) several substantive human rights and humanitarian law norms.  In particular, this semester the class will  particularly focus on non-discrimination (equality), the use of force, exceptional/emergency legal powers, and counter-terrorism architecture and enforcement.  The class will be conducted through lectures, involving speakers, problems for discussion, and small group discussions. The class will address each of the major procedural channels for implementing human rights: on-site observation and fact-finding, state reporting, individual complaints, litigation in domestic courts, legislative hearings, public discourse in international forums, the work of nongovernmental organizations, criminal prosecution, procedures for compensating victims, etc. The problems are set in most of the major international institutions, and include procedures of the UN, the Human Rights Committee, the Un Special Procedures Mechanism, regional court systems, international criminal tribunals, and nongovernmental organizations.