Studying Law at Roma Tre Syllabus

Human Rights

Prof. Enrica Rigo Dr. Mirko Sossai

Spring Semester, Academic Year 2015/16

7 CFUs - ECTS

Course description:

The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to the theoretical and legal issues raised by the development of human rights.

In its first part, the course is designed to provide students interdisciplinary instruments to interpret debates on theoretical foundations and critiques of human rights, to approach international mechanisms of protection and domestic legal arrangements related to the implementation of human rights. Topics will include the historical development of ideas which has led to the conceptualization of human rights; the understanding of human rights law in the perspective of international law theory; universal and regional systems of protection; typology of State obligations; the scope of human rights.

In the second section of the course, classes are organised thematically. Students will address contemporary issues related to human rights. This allows students to make comparisons and connections between different theories and legal mechanisms of protection.

Course Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, students should be proficient in the following subject areas and skills:

- being familiar with the historical development and the theoretical approaches related to human rights

- acquisition of tools to interpret debates on theoretical foundation and critiques related to human rights

- having knowledge of the global and regional systems of protection

- carrying out proper analysis on selected issues in human rights

Course Learning Activities

To achieve the above objectives, texts, relevant documentation and case-law will be presented and students will engage in class discussions/debates.

Assessment tools

Student evaluation will be based on class work, class participation, oral presentations given during the semester, and a final exam.

Attendance policy

Class attendance is compulsory

Course textbook(s)

Students will receive a reader which will include selected articles and excerpts from relevant literature

Course Schedule

Tuesday 10:15 – 12:00; Wednesday 17:45 – 19:30; Thursday 8:30 – 10:15

Room 1.02 (Ed. Tommaseo, via Ostiense,139)

Week / Topic and/or Activity / Materials
1. / E. Rigo (1 March 2016)
Historical and Conceptual Introduction to Human Rights:
A. The age of Human Rights / Extracts from C. Douzinas, The End of Human Rights, Oxford & Portland OR, 2000
J. Habermas, ‘The Concept of Human Dignity and The Realistic Utopia of Human Rights’, 41 Metaphilosophy, July 2010
M. Sossai (2 March 2016)
The History of International Human Rights Law / T. Buergenthal, ‘The Normative and Institutional Evolution of International Human Rights’ (1997) 19:4 Human Rights Quarterly 703-723
Further readings:
P. Alston, ‘Does the Past Matter? On the Origins of Human Rights’, 126 Harvard Law Review (2013) 2043-81
2. / E. Rigo (8 March)
Historical and Conceptual Introduction to Human Rights
B. Crucial moments in the conceptual history of Human Rights / Extracts from C. Douzinas, The End of Human Rights, Oxford & Portland OR, 2000
Extracts from classical legal and political thinkers (Cicero, Hobbes, Locke, Rawls et. al.)
M. Sossai (9-10 March)
Human Rights Law as Part of International Law
A. Legal sources / W. Kälin and J. Künzli. The Law of International Human Rights Protection, Oxford 2009, 31-33, 37-55, 67-72
B. Simma & P. Alston, ‘The Sources of Human Rights Law: Custom, Jus Cogens, and General Principles’ 12 Aust. YBIL (1988) 82
3. / E. Rigo (15 March)
The Subject of Rights
A. From Subjects to the Nations / Extracts from Arendt, The Origin of Totalitarianism (1958)
M. Sossai (16-17 March)
Human Rights Law as Part of International Law
B. reservations to and interpretation of human rights treaties / F. Megret, ‘The Nature of International Human Rights Obligations’ (September 11, 2009). available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1472196
(read pages 1-18)
G. Letsas, ‘The ECHR as a Living Instrument: Its Meaning and its Legitimacy’ (March 14, 2012), available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2021836
4. / E. Rigo (22 March)
The subject of Rights
B. From Subjects to Citizens / E. Rigo, ‘Citizens Despite Borders: Challenges to the Territorial Order of Europe’, in V. Squire (ed.), The Contested Politics of Mobility. Borderzones and Irregularity, London –New York, 2011, 199-215.
M. Sossai (23 March)
Generations of HR and the Typology of States’ Obligations / HRC, General Comment No. 31: Nature of the General Legal Obligation Imposed on States Parties to the Covenant, 2004
CESCR, General Comment No. 12: The Right to Adequate Food, 1999, paras. 14-20
5.
M. Sossai (30-31 March)
On the Territorial Reach of Human Rights: State responsibility and ‘jurisdiction’ / ECtHR, Al-Skeini and others v. United Kingdom, 7 July 2011, paras. 109-150
M. Milanovic, ‘Al-Skeini and Al-Jedda in Strasbourg’, 23 Eur. J. Int’l L. (2012), 121-139
6. / E. Rigo (5 April)
Universal rights v the Territorial Order of the European Polity : the case of refugee law / Extracts from Tuitt, False images: law's construction of the refugee, Pluto Press 1996
M. Sossai (6-7 April)
Domestic Implementation of IHRL / EP v Municipality of Avellino, Constitutional review, No 349/2007, (2008) 91 Rivista di Diritto Internazionale 230, ILDC 301 (IT 2007), 22nd October 2007, Italy
E. Cannizzaro, ‘The Effect of the ECHR on the Italian Legal Order: Direct Effect and Supremacy,
19 Italian Y.B. Int’l L. (2009), 173-185
7. / E. Rigo (12 April)
Gender and Rights (part I) / R. Andrijasevic, ‘The Figure of the Trafficked Victim: Gender, Rights and Representation’, in M. Evans et al. (eds), SAGE Handbook of Feminist Theory, 2014
M. Sossai (13-14 April)
Mechanisms of Protection: the United Nations System / W. Kälin and J. Künzli. The Law of International Human Rights Protection, Oxford 2009, 206-234
8. / E. Rigo (19 April)
Gender and Rights (part. II) / The case study of gender and asylum
M. Sossai (20-21 April)
Regional Systems Compared: Inter-American, European and African / M. Oetheimer, G. Cano Palomares, ‘European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR)’, in Max Planck EPIL (2009)
C. Heyns, D. Padilla & L. Zwaak, ‘A schematic comparison of regional human rights systems: an update’ (2006) 4 SUR – Int’l J. Hum. Rts 163-171
9. / M. Sossai (27-28 April)
Lodging an Application with the European Court of Human Rights / European Court of Human Rights, Practical Guide on Admissibility Criteria
10. / M. Sossai (4-5 May)
Reparations for Victims of Human Rights / C. Tomuschat, ‘Reparation for Victims of Grave Human Rights Violations’ 10 Tulane Journal of International and Comparative Law (2002) 157-184
11. / M. Sossai (11-12 May)
Terrorism and Human Rights / M. Scheinin, M. Vermeulen, ‘Unilateral Exceptions to International Law: Systematic Legal Analysis and Critique of Doctrines that Seek to Deny or Reduce the Applicability of Human Rights Norms in the Fight against Terrorism’, EUI LAW; 2010/08
12. / M. Sossai (18-19 May)
Poverty and Human Rights / UN Doc. A/69/297, Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Mr. Philip Alston, on the implementation of the right to social protection through the adoption of social protection floors

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