International Law and the Settlement of Disputes

DIL-6100-Public International Law (3 credits)

3Credits

Contemporary international life has become unthinkable without the existence of public international law. Increasingly, international relations have become juridified, while more and more actors (international organizations, individuals, groups, NGOs, and corporations) participate in norm creation, implementation and enforcement. And, as humanity faces unprecedented challenges, the call for more cooperation and regulation is undiminished. This course offers a comprehensive overview of the topic of public international law. It provides students with a broad introduction that will focus on laying a firm foundation of knowledge about the most important doctrines and topics in this field. It will provide students with a solid grasp of the vocabulary of international law (sources, jurisdiction, responsibility, enforcement, etc.), as well as a sense of the context in which international law originates and operates and an understanding of the legal and political institutions that play a role in international law and dispute settlement. Students will also be introduced to the methods prevalent in international legal argumentation as well as the methodology for researching international law. Finally, the course will analyze a broad range of contemporary issues that are dealt with using international legal tools, such as peace and security, the use of force, human rights, humanitarian law, diplomatic and consular protection, migration, and climate change, amongst others.

DIL-6101-International Human Rights Law (2 credits)

2Credits

Human Rights form one of the most important branches of international law in the contemporary world. The Holocaust and the atrocities of World War II brought about the recognition of human rights as a matter of concern to the international community. Today, all states have assumed obligations under international treaties that guarantee a wide range of rights to human beings, both in times of peace and in conflict. Further obligations for states and other actors emerge from customary human rights law. Under the aegis of the United Nations and regional organizations, several bodies have been established to monitor violations of rights of human beings. Despite these efforts, we continue to live in a world where many face rampant abuse of their human rights.

This course introduces participants to the international legal regime for the protection of human rights. The course will cover a broad spectrum of issues in human rights protection, beginning with the sources of human rights in international law and ending with contemporary challenges thereto. We will explore the core human rights instruments, the enforcement mechanisms established under international law and will also give special attention to the rights of vulnerable persons and groups.

In addition, we will pay close attention to debates regarding the theoretical and legal workability of the international human rights system. Are human rights truly ‘universal’? Are some human rights more important than others? How can human rights norms be applied to non-traditional actors, such as corporations and terrorist groups? Do new ‘group rights’ strengthen or undermine human rights? These questions and many more will guide and deepen our understanding of the principles underpinning the human rights regime, and the way that law works and does not work in the world of human rights protection.

DIL-6105-Universal System for Protection of Human Rights (1 credit)

1Credits

The United Nations World Conference on Human Rights -- held in Vienna, 1993 with the occasion of the celebration of the fifty Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights—produced, as a result, an universal document unanimously signed by all UN participant State Parties. The document is known to the world as the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. It constitutes the basis for the Vienna Platform of Action centred on bringing to the national domain human rights norms and standards contained in each of the nine major United Nations Human Rights Conventions that have been produced, adopted, and are currently in force in State Parties that have signed and ratified them.

One of the significant commitments established on the Vienna Platform of Actions was to ensure the compliance of the UN State Parties with the international conventions progressing from an era of setting this international machinery towards a new period focused on the responsibility of States reporting to the UN Treaty bodies, plus their acceptance of powers and mandates of the Special Procedures System. This new focus opened new possibilities for State parties for maintaining fructiferous dialogues with the international community but also for been held accountable for lack of due diligence in the fulfilment of their international obligations.

Thus, during this Course, we are going to scrutinise how the UN monitoring mechanisms, also called Treaty bodies and Special Procedures, represent not only a tool of accountability but also an essential element in the State’s responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil its commitment under the different conventions at the national level.

Albeit not exhaustive, the course intends to serve as a thematic approach to the institutions and procedures devoted to most of the monitoring instances available at State reporting obligations: monitoring, complaints, dialogue functions, fact-finding, good offices actions and investigative procedures; as part of the national implementation of the provisions of the standards comprised of the Universal System for Protection of Human Rights

Therefore, the course will provide to its participants a solid understanding of the international legal regime for the monitoring protection system of human rights via the Treaty Bodies and the Special Procedures acting under the rules of the International Civil Servants:  competence, expertise, independence, and impartiality.

DIL-6085-International Law Related to Armed Conflict

3Credits

This course introduces students to the public international law dimensions of conflicts and peace. It explores the international legal standards, both in treaty law and in customary international law, that underpin the prevention, management and resolution of inter-state and intra-state conflicts. Students will specifically be introduced to jus ad bellum (Law of War and use of force), jus in bello (International Humanitarian Law), and the responsibility to protect (R2P) doctrine. The course adopts a diverse range of approaches in order to examine the rules, procedures, successes and failures of key international organizations, including the United Nations, as well as regional organizations, in responding to peace and conflict situations. The course will explore several case studies of actual policy responses, or lack thereof. Participants will also learn about the limits that international law places on states and non-state actors in peace and conflict situations, before moving into a critical discussion on the debates surrounding enforcement of those standards in international law. Finally, the course will explore how international law intersects with other areas of inquiry related to peace and conflict studies, in order to promote multi-pronged responses to peace and conflict situations.

DIL-6077-Transitional Justice and International Criminal Law

3Credits

Gross violations of human rights, including war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide have characterized several contemporary conflicts and authoritarian regimes. In such contexts, questions of impunity and accountability become central to peacebuilding and reconstruction of post-conflict societies. Yet, criminal prosecution of persecutors poses challenges for post-conflict reconciliation, particularly when such reconciliation is contingent upon demands for amnesty. This course takes a holistic view on the debates surrounding linkages between serious crimes and justice.
This is the first part of this course. It provides a general introduction to the field of international criminal law. It focuses on the evolution of international crimes under international law and the role of international criminal courts in the prosecution of international crimes. Students will analyze the jurisdictional reach of international criminal courts, their relationship with national jurisdictions (primacy v. complementarity) and the impact of the interests of justice and peace in the exercise of their jurisdiction. Students will also explore the objective and subjective elements of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Particular attention will be placed on those elements of international crimes that make them distinguishable from ordinary crimes, and on the manner in which criminal responsibility is determined by international criminal courts.

The second part of the course which will follow this first component will focus on the intersection between international criminal law and transitional justice, the latter of which includes the study of justice in times of transition following periods of widespread human rights abuse. These transitional periods raise a wide range of legal, ethical, and political questions that are central to the peace versus justice debate. Students will explore the strengths and limits of criminal prosecutions and the alternative mechanisms available to address the commission of international crimes. Using numerous case studies from around the world, the course will provide students with analytical tools to grapple with and to discuss the most salient issues decision-makers face in the context of transitional democracies and other situations of dealing with the past.

DIL-6120- International and Transnational Adjudication

3Credits

This course offers a general overview of the international legal system of courts and tribunals. It will provide  students with a thorough understanding of the role as well as the limitations and potential of international adjudicatory bodies in international law and international relations. The course will look at the historical and political context in which international adjudication was first developed and later expanded. It will analyze the specific position and place that international adjudicatory bodies hold in the global governance system. In this quest for understanding we will consecutively deal with the International Court of Justice as the prime example of a 'world court' and with some of its most salient features and characteristics. Close attention will be given to rules of jurisdiction and competence, as well as procedure. We will then turn to considerations of the peace-related functions of other global and multilateral dispute settlement mechanisms, in particular dispute settlement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization, as well as dispute settlement under international investment treaties. Finally, we will consider the peace-related functions of court-like compliance mechanism under global and multilateral treaties. Our focus will be on complaints mechanisms under human rights and environmental treaties.

DIL-6121-Counter-terrorism and Human Rights

2Credits

This class will examine the evolving legal framework for balancing counter-terrorist actions with human rights perspectives.  The War on Terror is considered to be a permanent state of emergency which has led to human rights violations.  Students will study normative instruments from the UN and regional counter-terrorist institutions and juxtapose them with human rights standards and case law.  Dilemmas presented by conflicting interpretation of the scope of freedom of expression, the impact of removal of citizenship, the consequences of arbitrary detention, contradictions in Countering Violent Extremism policies, and the use of drones in targeted killing will be analyzed.  Women's rights and children's rights will be discussed in the context of counter-terrorism. Students will be asked to identify best practices and articulate protection gaps.

DIL-6026-International Economic Law

3Credits

The main objective of this course is to explore the contemporary system of international economic law, its theory, and practice, in the backdrop of ‘sustainable development’ emerging as the central theme influencing all its processes. The course has a clear orientation towards understanding and resolving contemporary disputes, which arise as a result of the increasing specialization of the field of ‘international economic law’ and the accompanying ‘fragmentation’ of public international law. The course will adopt a trans-disciplinary approach that encompasses international law, economics and finance, international relations, development studies, and human rights, in the broad interface between international economic law and development. Students will look closely at the economic and legal principles of the multilateral trade system, the case for liberalization of trade, the exceptions to the principles of liberalization, the judicial dispute settlement of trade disputes, the current initiatives for making trade law work for development, as well as the legal controversies arising in this field. Students will also explore other important areas of international economic law today such as investment, finance, and intellectual property rights.

DIL-6103-Protection of Refugees (1 credit)

1Credits

Key objectives: Understand the history of international action in support of refugees, including the adoption of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the establishment of UNHCR. Be aware of current challenges impeding the provision of protection for refugees. Identify the various actors responsible for international protection and the importance of working in partnership with them.

DIL-6084-International Labour Law

1Credits

TOPICS COVERED
• Origin, history, mandate and objectives of the ILO
• Standards related activities and subjects cover by International Labour Standards
• Applying and promoting International Labour Standards
• Content of Fundamental Conventions: Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining, Child Labour, Discrimination and Forced Labour
• Other Topics: Employment, HIV/AIDS, Indigenous People, Social Security

LEARNING OBJECTIVE
• Put the mandate and objectives of the ILO in the context of current international challenges
• Develop a deeper reflection and understanding of issues relating to the effective application and compliance with international labour standards (Fundamental Conventions, Employment, HIV/AIDS, Indigenous Peoples Rights and Social Security).

DIL-6122-The Right to Peace

1Credits

In this course, students will be invited to examine in depth the UN Declaration on the Right to Peace, adopted by the General Assembly in 2017: http://www.refworld.org/docid/589c72134.html .  The class will discuss normative interpretation of negative and positive peace, the role of international, regional, and national institutions (as well as civil society), and implementation challenges and possibilities.  Students will assess the place of this new instrument within the evolution of international law.  The class will discuss contextual dilemmas such as widening exceptions to the prohibition on the use of force and the increase in inequality, discrimination, nativism, xenophobia which threaten peaceful coexistence and the right to peace.  Students will be asked to suggest reforms in order to strengthen "peace through law" initiatives.

DIL-6106-Indigenous Peoples' Rights (1 credit)

1Credits

This course introduces participants to the increasingly significant field of indigenous peoples' rights and looks at the contemporary issues that have paradoxically led to recognition of those rights on the one hand, while simultaneously challenging their implementation on the other. The course will address the broad spectrum of issues involved in the field of indigenous peoples' rights, beginning with who qualifies to be "indigenous peoples", the scope of their right to self-determination, the international and regional legal frameworks for the protection of their rights and the challenges associated therewith, and the debates surrounding the concept of indigenous governance. The course will also look closely into human security and human development issues relating to indigenous peoples, the impact of State policies on their culture and language, the issue of genetic research in the context of indigenous peoples and the effect of intellectual property rights on the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. Strong emphasis will be placed throughout the course not only on theory and law, but also on case studies from around the world. Students will explore debates on mainstreaming versus autonomy, participatory governance, scope of 'free and prior consent', amongst others.

DIL-6081-Maritime & Territorial Dispute Settlement

3Credits

The geographical integrity of sovereign states is at the core of the contemporary notion of statehood itself. Therefore, when it comes to the specific delimitation of national territories, or the management of specific trans-boundary situations, there are a wealth of large and small maritime and territorial disputes. This course provides an historical overview of how international law has established the boundaries and limits of state jurisdiction, and the ways in which the international community has responded to territorial and maritime disputes around the globe. Close attention shall be given to a key player in this history, the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

UPM 6003-The United Nations System and UPMUNC (Part I)

2Credits

The course is intended to familiarize students with the creation, objectives, evolution, main entities and principal areas of work of the United Nations system. The course will look in some detail at the United Nations Charter and the functions of the UN’s principal organs, before delving into the UN’s work in spurring cooperation to address a number of key contemporary global challenges, such as those in the areas of sustainable development, international migration and large-scale refugee flows, and climate change and environmental degradation.

UPM-6003-The United Nations System and UPMUNC (Part II)

1Credits

The UPEACE Model United Nations Conference (UPMUNC) is the second part of a composite three credit course that begins with the two-credit introductory course on the United Nations System, taught in the first semester. Through a simulation of UN bodies, committees, procedures, and codes of conduct, this immersive and experiential educational exercise encourages the application of knowledge gained in previous courses, including an understanding of the objectives and functions of the United Nations system, as well as the development of professional skills related to research, public speaking, negotiation, mediation of conflict, and the preparation of official documents.   

Historically, the conference has been open to outside participants from colleges and universities both regionally and internationally, presenting additional possibilities for networking, dialogue, and educational exchange among all participants. UPMUNC is further enriched by special events, which typically include a panel of invited speakers, a diplomatic reception, an awards ceremony, and a closing celebration.    

UPM 6001-UPEACE Foundation Course

3Credits

The UPEACE Foundation Course provides a critical and concise introduction to the broad field of “Peace Studies” for students in all UPEACE programs. It initially addresses key conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of the origins and development of peace studies as an interdisciplinary area within the fields of international relations and political economy, as well as a basic understanding of conflict analysis. Based on a critical analysis of policies, strategies, policies, institutions, organizations and movements, the course then examines a range of core issues, dimensions, perspectives and paradigms for understanding the root causes of conflicts and violence and constructive strategies to address them and build peace in contemporary global, international, regional, national and local contexts, including: conflict management, conflict resolution and conflict transformation; alternative discourse analysis; militarization and disarmament; human rights violations and promotion; gender inequalities, gender-based violence and gender mainstreaming; structural violence, human security, development and globalization; environmental sustainability; corporate social responsibility; cultural and religious identities; media’s role in conflict and peacebuilding; strategies of nonviolence; and peace education. This Foundations course will be essential in catalyzing the awareness, understanding and motivation of UPEACE students from diverse academic programmes to relate, ground or intersect their specific areas of academic and practitioner interest with core theoretical, conceptual and analytical ideas in peace studies.

DIL-6111-The Kurds between Past and Present Genocides in Iraq: Fresh Hopes or New Tragedies?

2Credits

At the end of the course the students will understand the history of the Kurds in the Middle East with specific emphasis on the Kurds of Iraq from the birth of Kurdish nationalism to the present day. The first session will offer an overview of the history of the Kurds and their relationship with the succeeding Iraqi governments. The second session will cover the history of genocides in Iraq against the Kurds and other minorities exploring the causes and the consequences for the political and social stability of the area. The third session will focus on the heritage that this culture of violence has created in the area and the genocides committed by ISIS. The fourth session will discuss the future of Iraq and the Kurds in the context of the Middle East. The fifth session will explore what is the future of Iraq as a country after the liberation of Mosul and the new balance of power born from the end of the war with ISIS and the definitive collapse of the order established in 1916 with the Sykes-Picot Agreement. The 6th session will explain concept of self determination and the Regional Attitude toward Kurds after their referendum of 2017. The 7th session will explain the Kurdish issue in Syria and how the have become apolitical player after 2011 in Syria. The 8th session will explain the Kurdish struggle in Iran with Mullas and their political Parties.   The 9th session will discuss the current Middle East situation after the defeat of ISIS militarily. IS there new Middle East? New Cold war? A Kurdish State? The rise of new ISIS? The last session will be dedicated to general discussion about the course and discussing papers for the future.

UPE 6064-Working in Conflict and Post-Conflict Areas - Field Training

2Credits

This immersive, experiential learning course is intended to further students’ understanding of how journalists and staff of international organizations work in hostile environments, particularly in areas affected by violent conflict. Workshops and field exercises are carried out with the collaboration of trained security personnel, actors, and other specialists in order to explore themes of personal security and risk assessment, crisis management and response, gathering and fact-checking sensitive information, and working with vulnerable populations.

Throughout the course, participants will build up and test their capacity to work under pressure, their leadership and teamwork skills, and their ability to respond to unexpected, dangerous, and complex situations in a creative, safe, and independently-minded way.