POL 468 - International Law and Human Rights

The world celebrated the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) last year. The UDHR enshrines many important rights, including the freedom of expression, freedom from arbitrary arrest and torture, non-discrimination, access to social security, and the ability of citizens to choose their government - to name just a few. The UDHR is just one form that international law takes. There are many other sanctioned treaties, charters, and protocols that comprise international law, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This seminar explores these critical documents and the associated institutions (e.g., International Criminal Court) that comprise international law. In doing so, we will address one of the major questions in international relations: does international law shape international and domestic behavior and outcomes? We will also consider a wide range of case studies that involve international conflict and security and domestic politics (e.g., activism and elections).

Prerequisites & Notes
Permission of the instructor required.