LLM Public International Law / Course details

International humanitarian and international human rights law play a critical and complex role in the international legal system. Both are critical areas of international law developed to protect the human person. This subject aims to introduce students to the legal principles, institutions, and questions, at the heart of the international humanitarian and human rights system of norms. The purpose of this module is to explore the history, development, structure and efficacy of such laws governing the protection of individuals in war and in peacetime. Topics include the history, concepts and critiques of international humanitarian and human rights law; tensions and synergies between international humanitarian and human rights law and the enforcement of international human rights law in the context of armed conflict. 

The unit aims to:

- Introduce the students to the laws of war

- Introduce students to regional and international human rights legal systems to analyse how human rights have been legalised, developed, and enforced  through theory and practice

- Provide students with advanced knowledge, greater understanding, and critical insights into the current systems of human rights legal instruments and key human rights debates.

- Provide students with an overview on specific human rights provisions through the analysis of case law and case study exercises

- Develop students understanding of and ability to use international human rights law, particularly with respect to evolving global challenges, such as climate change

- Provide students with the necessary tools and skills to determine the appropriate international remedies in case of breaches of human rights

- Provide students with the necessary analytical tools to critically assess the politics behind the invocation of international human rights 

The course is taught through seminar-type lectures. For each session, students are requested to be familiar with current practice, recent developments as well as the basic applicable law. The course involves class discussions on the relevant policies, rules and practices.

The course may include one for the following e-learning tools: discussion boards, reflective practice, self-recording of videos, evaluation of wiki-entries, short essays, with formative feedback.  

• Identify and examine the rules and principles applicable to armed conflicts
• Define, describe and explain de difference between various types of armed conflicts and between armed conflicts, on the one hand, and situations of internal disturbances and tensions on the other hand
• Understand the principles and institutions of international human rights law, including their origins, assumptions, contents, limits, and potential
• Identify and use the sources of International Human Rights Law, especially in relation to the regional mechanisms for protection
• Critically assess the implementation and development of human rights law 
   

• Apply the sources of International human rights and humanitarian law, especially in relation to the regional mechanisms for protection, and before international courts and tribunals
• Compare and analyse the politics of various international human rights and humanitarian legal provisions
• Interpret and critically evaluate international and regional judicial decisions on human  rights and international humanitarian law and apply them to new contexts
• Analyse the development and implementation of human rights and humanitarian law and propose reforms and recommendations
• Evaluate the practical use of human rights and humanitarian law concepts, norms and procedures and critically evaluate the appropriate remedies for a breach of international human rights law obligations 

• Locate and navigate the human rights and international humanitarian law case-law of the main international courts and tribunals
• Conduct research on human rights law and international humanitarian law and critically evaluate the relevant case-law
• Construct arguments using human rights and humanitarian law norms and formulate and construct arguments in favour or against one or several aspects of a relevant norm or ruling

A comprehensive prescribed and recommended readings will be included in the course syllabus that will be distributed at the start of the Course.