International Human Rights Law - 2221

This course will examine the history of the development of international human rights laws, the concepts behind the current status of those laws, and the mechanics present for enforcing those laws in international, regional, and domestic legal systems. The course will include a discussion of the theories behind international human rights law and the ability (or lack thereof) to enforce international human rights standards. The course will look at different examples of human rights crises throughout the world, how those crises are being addressed and how we believe they should be addressed in light of established law and morality. In light of the growing importance of the R2P ("responsibility to protect") doctrine and the related doctrine of "human rights intervention," we will examine these doctrines closely, whether they comport with international human rights law and whether they in fact accomplish what they claim to accomplish.