Fall 2012
    Law No.: LAW9194
    Sched. No.: 112821606

Human Rights, Public International Law, and the Scholarly Process (YR)*
Section 1
X
Hurwitz, Deena R.
Versteeg, Emiliana M.



Administrative Information:
During SIS enrollment, check on SIS for real-time enrollment numbers
Days, Times (Room):W, 1540-1810 (SL284)
Credits:3Type:Yearlong seminar
Capacity:12 **This information is current as of 06/12/2013 06:17:57 AM**
Current Enrollment:8 **This information is current as of 06/12/2013 06:17:57 AM**

Course Description:

NOTE: Students earn six credit hours in this yearlong seminar (three course load credits assigned to each semester). A final grade and all credits will be awarded at the end of the academic year.

This yearlong seminar is designed to provide students with an opportunity to explore the fields of public international law and human rights and develop a law review article or similar piece of original scholarship under close supervision, and to consider how their work might form part of their broader scholarly agenda.

The first semester will be primarily devoted to a critical exploration of theories of scholarship and theoretical constructs in international law and human rights. This will include evidence based practice and the “empirical turn” in international law scholarship; theories of custom; the interplay between constitutional/ national law and international law; and contested issues in human rights normatively and in implementation.

Interspersed throughout the semester will be “skills” related sessions, to delve into the basics of selecting and framing a topic. These sessions will support students in how to research and outline a substantial paper and to consider various methodological approaches. By the end of the fall semester, students will be expected to have developed a research question, an abstract and a literature review, and a substantial paper outline (or even a first draft). Each student will present his/her topic to the seminar for discussion and feedback. The fall grade will be based on this work.

During the spring semester, the course will focus in greater depth on the scholarly enterprise, and research methodology. We will discuss writing and publication strategies. Students will be expected to present a draft of their paper to the class in a workshop setting. The end product will be a substantial paper (60-75 pages) ready for submission (or very close).

PREREQUISITE: Second- or third-year status
COURSE REQUIREMENT: A 60-75 page substantial research paper

Prerequisites:Second- or third-year status
This course is on the approved upper-level writing requirement course list.