COURSE OVERVIEW

This class is comprised of: 1) a discussion of the central philosophical arguments concerning international law; 2) a review of the historical evolution of international law; 3) an overview of the fundamental concepts of international law; 4) an examination of the role of human rights as a realm of international law; 5) an analysis of war crimes tribunals; 6) a review of the WTO and international economic law..

In covering historical patterns and current events relevant to international law, the underlying theme of this course is to consider the central philosophical debates over the role of international law in the international system. From the idealist perspective, international law is a valuable source of peace, stability and cooperation. From the realist perspective, international law is nothing more than an expression of powerful interests, benefiting only those states powerful enough to dictate and enforce patterns of "acceptable" behavior. This semester you will have to define your own position within this debate.

EXPECTATIONS

I expect intelligent participation from all students this semester. It will be almost impossible to do well on the exams if you have missed several classes. 

If you are confused about the material it is your responsibility to ask me for help. If you do not contact me I must assume that the material is clear to you. The format and expectations concerning the paper assignments and the exams will be explained in class.

Improper use of information found on the internet (or elsewhere) for your research papers will result in AT LEAST an F on your paper,  and most likely an F in the course.  If you are not sure about what constitutes plagiarism it is your responsibility to find out (i.e. ask me).   Plagiarism entails either:  using someone else's words or ideas without providing a citation;  OR providing a citation,  but "cutting and pasting" from a source without using quotation marks to indicate that you are using someone else's exact words.   To avoid plagiarism you must paraphrase the cited information (i.e. put it into your own words).

Unless I receive direct authorization from the Dean of Students (because of a death in the family, for example) all students must take all the exams at the scheduled times.

Readings: (available from the bookstore)

Micheline Ishay (ed) The Human Rights Reader                                                                  

     Other assigned readings are available on reserve or on-line. Additional readings may be added in the syllabus during the semester.

Philosophical Overview

Jan 13        Course Introduction:  Positivism and Natural Law

Jan 15,17        Thucydides  "The Melian Dialogue"  Find it here       
                        Thomas Hobbes "The Leviathan" in Micheline Ishay (ed) The Human Rights Reader (1997: Routledge)
                        "Machiavellianism Destroys Constitutionalism" Francis Anthony Boyle (on reserve)
                    
Jan 20,22       Hugo de Grotius "On Laws of War and Peace" (from HR Reader)
                       Further Reading on Grotius   Find it here
                        The Law of War and Peace (full text)   Find it here  (read the conclusion)

Jan 24,27,29         John Locke  "The Second Treatise of the State of nature"  (from HR Reader)
                  Thomas Paine  "The Rights of Man"  (from HR Reader) 
                  "The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen" (from HR Reader)
                  Maximilien de Robespierre "On Property Rights"  (from HR Reader)
                  Olympe de Gouge  "The Declaration of of the Rights of Women"  (from HR Reader)
                              Recommended reference reading:   Liberty Online   Find it here  

Jan 31       St. Pierre  "Abridgement of the Project for Perpetual Peace" (from HR Reader)
                    Immanual Kant  "Perpetual Peace"  (from HR Reader)
                    Immanual Kant  "Perpetual Peace"  (full text)    Find it here
                    Immanual Kant "The Metaphysics of Morals"  (from HR Reader) sections: 53,54,55,61,62,conclusion
                             Recommended:   "The Immanual Kant Home Page"  Find it here
                                            
Feb. 3         visiting speaker

Feb 5         Kant continued

Feb 7          Robert Kaplan   The Pagan Ethic   Find it here

Feb 10        Leon Trotsky  "Their Morals and Ours"  (from HR Reader)
                  Mahatma Gandhi "Passive Resistance"     (from HR Reader)

Feb 12        Richard Rorty "Human Rights, Rationality and Sentimentality" (from HR Reader)
                             RECOMMENDED:  Garrett Hardin  "The Tragedy of the Commons"   (on reserve)

Feb 14        Rorty continued:  Howard & Donnelly "Liberalism and Human Rights" (from HR Reader)

Feb 17        Howard & Donnelly continued

Feb 19        Richard Rorty  "The Communitarian Impulse"  Find it here 
                        Recommended:  The full list of speakers at the Colorado College symposium HERE

Feb 21        David Luban "Just War and Human Rights" (from HR Reader)

Feb 24        Ishay and Goldfischer "Human Rights and National Security" (from HR Reader)

Feb 26        Review  (Distribute take home exam question)

February 28  MIDTERM EXAM

March 3,5,7    Spring Break  

Historical Evolution of International Law and Human Rights

March 10,12   Antonio Cassese "Historical Evolution of the International Community: 1648-1918" in      
                         Antonio Cassese International Law in a Divided World (Oxford U.P.: 1986) (on reserve)
                                Reference:  The Laws of War from the 19th Century   Find it on-line

March 14,17   Antonio Cassese "Historical Evolution of the International Community: 1918-present"
                          (on reserve)

March 19,21    Antonio Cassese "International Protection of Human Dignity"   (on reserve)    
                             Forsythe "Human Rights in International Relations"  (on reserve)

March 24,26,28    Forsythe "Establishing Human Rights Standards"  (on reserve)
                          "The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights"  (from HR Reader)
                          "The UN Declaration on the Right to Development"  (from HR Reader)    

                     recommended:
                          Amnesty International  Find it here
                          Human Rights Watch  Find it here 
                           US State Dept Human Rights Report  Find it here
                       Chinese Embassy "Human Rights Issues"  Find it here

March 28   Paper First Draft Due

March 31    The Cuban approach to human rights   QUIZ
                      "The Cuban Revolution in the epoch of neoliberal globalisation"  Here (you may skip sections 22-34)
                                NOT ON THE FINAL

April 2         The US embargo on Cuba
                          Class handouts on Helms-Burton   New Dept of Treasury regulations Here 
                               NOT ON THE FINAL    

International War Crimes Tribunals and the ICC    

April 4     Meltzer  "Remembering Nuremberg" (on reserve)
               Wise  "The Significance of Nuremberg"  (on reserve)
                                  
                   recommended:
                       Nuremberg    Find it here  and Here

April 7,9,11    Mayerfeld  "Who Shall be Judged?  Find it here (pdf)     

                   recommended  NOT ON THE FINAL :
                     ICC page  here
                     ICJ page   Find it here    (Specific readings to be announced)
                     ICTY page    Find it here   (Specific readings to be announced)
                     ICTR page   Find it here   (Specific readings to be announced)
                     Axel  "Toward a Permanent International Criminal Court" and "Epilogue" (on reserve)
                     World Federalists Association view of the ICC   Find it here
                      Heritage Foundation:  The ICC vs the American People   Find it here
                   USA for ICC.org   Here

April 14,16   American Servicemembers Protection Act   NOT ON THE FINAL

April 21    Paper Second Draft Due

International Economic Law

April 21      Briefing Book on the World Trade Organization  Find it here

April 23      Office of the US Trade Representative Re:  US and the WTO  Find it here 

April 25       Reference readings  NOT ON THE FINAL :  
                          FAQ re: application for exemption from Steel tariffs  Here
                           Exemption requests received   Here
                           Exemptions granted by USTR Here
                          

April 28     Guest Lecturer   Pierce Corden

FINAL EXAM =    May 3     1:00