Medda Roberta -Theory and Practice of Human Rights Law

Theory and Practice of Human Rights Law. The lecture aims at providing an understanding of what modern human rights law and its origins are. An appreciation of the meaning and significance of main international human rights instruments and an understanding of how human rights instruments are applied in the practice will be given. The lecture includes human rights protection within the regimes of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, where relevant.

In addition to the traditional frontal lecture (first part), the second part of the lecture will make extensive use of active individual participation. This part of the workshop is based on the case law method; that is, participants will be asked to prepare answers to fictional cases on which they are asked to advise potential applicants and respondent governments under relevant human rights instruments. The workshop will involve giving an opinion on a set of facts and drafting in outline a petition on behalf of the applicant or advising a government in reply to a possible petition.The cases are based on real, disguised or imaginary problems that participants are required to resolve in groups. The case study method is a tool for learning the application of concepts, methods and theory and is based on discussion, teamwork and critical analysis.

The lecture is thus designed to encourage students to examine human rights and the need to balance those rights with the rights of others. It is designed to improve the decision making skills of students through the examination of a range of situations where competing rights are presented, and it encourages students to come up with innovative and just solutions.


MeddaSlidesPaceIpart.ppt (488 KB)