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Regular version of the site
Master 2019/2020

International Mechanisms of Human Rights Protection

Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'
Type: Elective course (Political Analysis and Public Policy)
Area of studies: Political Science
Delivered by: Public Policy Department
When: 2 year, 1, 2 module
Mode of studies: offline
Instructors: Dmitry Dubrovsky
Master’s programme: Political Analysis and Public Policy
Language: English
ECTS credits: 4
Contact hours: 40

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This class will focus on the inception and promulgation of human rights. This topic will examine the development of international human rights regimes prior to, and after, World War II. It will also trace the ideologies of national sovereignty and the burgeoning notion of an international community, commencing with the League of Nations, through the experiences of World War II, and onwards to the creation of the United Nations. Finally, it will examine rival philosophical bases for the derivation of rights: universality versus cultural relativity. Than we will discuss the current system of human rights protection – from the International Bill of Human Rights and its implementation procedure, to the regional systems of human rights protection.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • The main goal is to explore the variety of international system of human rights and use the legal documents on human rights violation as a source for political science
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • To know the historical and political arguments in the human rights theory, and relations between international law, history, and politics
  • to know the content and basic structure of the main documents in human rights till the XIX century
  • To know the structure and main institutions of HR protection within UN
  • Know the content and implementation tools of the International Bill of Human Rights. and two main Covenants
  • Understand the role of the UN in the creation of the International tribunal system; understand the difference between ICC and ICJ
  • To know the role and mission of the expert community in the UN human rights protection mechanism
  • To understand the rules and regulations in the system of complaints to UN human rights bodies
  • To understand the role and function of the international human rights community
  • To know the structure, peculiarity and general procedure of the ECHR
  • To assess the effectiveness of the UN tools of human rights protection in a comparative perspective
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Human Rights, Historical Context, Development, and Institutions. Human Rights in International Relations.
    This introductory lecture is devoted to the historical and political context of human rights, and interrelations between human rights, international law, and international relations
  • Way to Universal Declaration. Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen.
    This topic is exploring main content of the basic legal documents of human rights till the XIX century
  • The United Nations Treaties and Institutions. United Nations Charter.
    This topic is devoted to the review of the main institutions of human rights protection in the UN and the role of the UN Charter in human rights protection
  • International Bill of Human Rights (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Two International Covenants).
    This theme has touched the question of the content and meaning of the International Bill of Human Rights
  • UN Treaty-Based Tribunals. International Criminal Court. International Court of Justice.
    This topic is devoted to the UN treaty-based tribunal, starting with Nurenberg, a short story of ICJ, Rome statute and creation of ICC
  • UN Human Rights Council (ex-Committee). Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Committee Against Torture. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
    Here we will explore the role of the expert community in disputing and protection of human rights in UN
  • Implementation mechanism in human rights. Universal periodic review. State complains. Individual complains. Independent inquiry
  • International human rights organization. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch. Open lecture.
  • Regional systems of human rights protection. European Court of Human Rights. OSCE.
  • Effectiveness of international system of HR protection
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Written response - M. Dembour Who believes in human rights
  • non-blocking Written response Comparative analyses of the precursors of Universal Declaration of human rights
  • non-blocking Universal periodic review
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • Interim assessment (2 module)
    0.6 * Universal periodic review + 0.2 * Written response - M. Dembour Who believes in human rights + 0.2 * Written response Comparative analyses of the precursors of Universal Declaration of human rights
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • McBeth, A., & Joseph, S. (2010). Research Handbook on International Human Rights Law. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=305356
  • Neier, A. (DE-588)173723659, (DE-576)164808442. (2012). The international human rights movement : a history / Aryeh Neier. Princeton, NJ [u.a.]: Princeton Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.369540700

Recommended Additional Bibliography

  • Forsythe, D. P. (2006). Human Rights in International Relations (Vol. 2nd ed). Cambridge [England]: Cambridge eText. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=400675