Human Rights Syllabi: Institute of International Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Golden Gate University
School of Law

International Human Rights Law

Fall 1998 - Fridays 1:15pm-4:15pm

Professor Beverly Baker-Kelly
Office Hours: After class or by Appointment
Course Syllabus

Introduction (3 sessions)

1. The Origins and Development of International Human Rights from Ancient Greece to World War I
2. World War II and the Beginning of the Modern Human Rights Movement
3. International Human Rights and the Interrelationship to International Law

Human Rights Instruments and Research on International Human Rights Law (2 sessions)

1. Human Rights Instruments:
   • United Nations Documents
   • Other United Nations Instruments
   • Regional Instruments
   • U.S. Reservations, Declarations, and Understandings
   • U.S. Legislation
   • Other Documents

2. Research on International Human Rights Law
3. Compilations of Human Rights Instruments
   • Status of Human Rights Instruments
   • Legislative History of Human Rights Instruments
   • Human Rights Case Law, Jurisprudence, Decisions and Digests

4. Rules of Procedure and Guidelines
5. Research Guides on the Six Major Human Rights Instruments
6. Refugee Law
7. Periodicals
8. Book and Periodical Indices
9. Electronic Sources
10. Practice Guides
11. Congressional Material
12. Fact-Finding Methodology
13. Country Situations

What are Human Rights? And What are the Causes of Human Rights Violations? (1 session)

1. The Notion of "Rights" and "Duties.
2. What are the causes of Human Rights Violations: Political, Economic, Sociological, Psychological and Socio-cultural factors?

Treaties: Economic and Social Rights (3 sessions)

1. The Convenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.
2. Ratification of Treaties
3. Implementation and Enforcement of Treaties
4. State Reporting Under International Human Rights Treaties: United States and Abroad; Cultural Relativism

Gross Violations: Human Rights Institutions and Processes (3 sessions)

1. UN procedures available for Violations of Human Rights:
   • ECOSOC Resolution 1235
   • ECOSOC Resolution 1503
   • Thematic Procedures

2. Humanitarian Intervention
3. International Human Rights Fact-Finding Procedures

Use of Adjudicative Remedies: Regional Systems (3 sessions)

1. Interpretation of International Human Rights Instruments
2. The European Human Rights System
3. The Inter-American Human Rights System
4. The African Human Rights System
5. The United States Adjudicative System
6. Refugee and Asylum Law

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