Duration
24h Th
Number of credits
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the second semester
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
This course aims to provide a general overview of the main institutional, substantive and procedural aspects of the branch of the law dealing with the protection of human rights, as well as the key practical issues associated with human rights litigation. To this end, the course will build on the basic knowledge already acquired in this field by students, directly or indirectly, throughout their curriculum. The approach will be inclusive: for each section of the course, the contribution and the specifics of all spheres of human rights protection (domestic, regional, universal) will be covered. Yet, the sphere of the Council of Europe (European Convention on Human Rights) will be of particular relevance.
The course will be divided into four major sections:
I.- General introduction
II.- Human rights institutions and mechanisms
III.- Human rights: substantive aspects
IV.- Human rights: procedural aspects.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
- Basic knowledge of key principles of public international law;
- Ability to use English as a working language.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The teaching method for this course will vary.
Lectures will be the basis of sections I, II and IV.
For section III (substantive aspects), students will be invited to becoming familiar with the relevant human rights and associated judicial interpretation in a proactive, self-learning manner. A collective and cooperative method will be applied, for which detailed information will be provided before the semester begins.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Additional information:
Course sessions will normally take place on campus. Sessions for section III of the course may however be held online if their format so requires.
Recommended or required readings
Specific ressources will be provided ahead of the semester in connection with section III of the course.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- Remote
written exam ( open-ended questions )
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Additional information:
The assessment method will be twofold:
i) The final grade will be mainly determined based on a take-home exam for which students will be invited - by consulting any type of resources they wish - to resolve one or several practical exercises on human rights issues.
ii) A maximum of 20 % of the final grade (i.e. a maximum of 4 points out of 20 - further precisions will be provided in this respect before the semester begins) may be awarded based on the attendance, participation and/or overall assessment in connection with section III of the course described above. For this purpose, students may for instance be asked, in small groups, to present a human rights judgment in front of the class, or to submit a short outcome paper following collaborative activities with fellow students.
As an alternative, the instructor may offer some students - on a voluntary basis and after being shortlisted - to participate in and to be assessed (once again, with a maximum of 4 points out of 20) on the basis of a concrete human rights project. Participation in this form of law clinic cannot be guaranteed and will depend on concrete opportunities that would emerge over the academic year.
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An resit oral exam will be organized in August/September, that will count for 100 % of the final grade.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Contacts
Christophe Deprez (Christophe.Deprez@uliege.be)