Subjects 2009
International Human Rights Law (Class 1) 732897
- Credited Courses: Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law 636; Graduate Diploma in International Law 323; Graduate Diploma in Transnational Law 333; Master of Labour Relations Law 510; Master of Laws (LLM) 502; Master of Legal Systems 890; Master of Public and International Law 511
Objectives
A student who has successfully completed this subject should:
- Have a sound understanding of the history and philosophy of international human rights
- Be able to understand and assess claims as to the contested universality of international human rights
- Have a detailed knowledge of the international legal and institutional frameworks for the protection of human rights
- Be able to assess the effectiveness of different mechanisms for implementing or enforcing human rights, such as judicial implementation, international criminal courts, and truth and reconciliation commissions
- Understand the central role played by NGOs in the international system
- Develop the capacity to examine current issues by reference to international human rights standards
- Be able to understand the challenges posed to the implementation of international human rights in the context of globalisation
- Have developed skills of critical thinking, legal research and academic writing to understand and assess the significance and limitations of the international human rights system.
Syllabus
Principal topics will include:
- Human rights and the challenges posed by state sovereignty and national security
- The contested universality of human rights
- The international institutional framework for the protection of human rights, with a special focus on the Human Rights Council and treaty monitoring system
- The interpretation and application of selected rights from the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Domestic measures for the implementation of human rights, such as judicial implementation of economic, social and cultural rights
- NGOs and their role in the protection of human rights
- The contribution of international criminal courts and truth and reconciliation commissions to the protection of human rights
- Current issues, such as refugees, non-discrimination and gender mainstreaming
- Human rights and the challenges posed by economic globalisation.
