We will discuss divergent social issues relating to global justice, consider how human rights as a legal framework can respond, and evaluate this through the standpoint of various actors.
The course will look at the aspects of human rights protection that have become topical as a result of social evolution in the recent years. A running theme through the course is that of global justice and the role of law and constitutionalism. We will focus on human rights law from different legal orders, such as established by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the American Convention on Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, and the European Social Charter.
An indicative snapshot of the course topics include:
- Globalization, sovereignty and international protection of human rights
- Accountability of rights violations by multinational corporations
- Rights to free speech, assembly, and information in the information age
- Environmental protection, rights of nature, and the rights of indigenous peoples
- Tax justice in domestic and transnational contexts
- Colonial-fueled imbalances in international legal frameworks
We will discuss divergent areas and discuss common themes and debates that are interlinked in these areas. The exact formation of the topics might be amended to take into account social developments.