INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Legal analysis of the phenomenon of international organisations (IOs) in the international legal system, with particular reference to their role in the protection of human rights.

A solid knowledge of international law is highly recommended.

Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of the institutional functioning of legal entities such as international organizations and of the activities they carry out for the protection of human rights. Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to frame current legal problems of international organisations law. Making judgements: acquisition and application of the legal tools for the understanding of international organizations dynamics. Communication skills: ability to elaborate, in oral and written form, legal arguments, solidly based on normative sources, concerning the functioning of international organizations, especially in the area of human rights. Learning skills: improving the capacity of reading the dynamics of IOs in the perspective of their possible future developments.

International organizations (IOs). Their subjectivity and structure. Internal legal order and secondary acts. Immunities and privileges of IOs. The responsibility of IOs. IOs and human rights: the UN, its specialized agencies, universal and regional IOs.

Attending Students: J. Klabbers, “An Introduction to International Organizations Law”, IV ed., Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022, Chapters 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 12. P. Klein, “Responsibility”, in J. Katz Cogan, I. Hurd. I. Johnstone, “The Oxford Handbook of International Organizations”, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 1026-1047. P. Pustorino, “Introduction to International Human Rights Law”, Berlin, Springer, 2023, Chapter. 4 (Sections 4.1-4.3.4). Additional readings on specific issues are indicated below and will be provided in due time during the course. Non-Attending Students (Extended Syllabus): J. Klabbers, “An Introduction to International Organizations Law”, IV ed., Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022, Chapters 1-12. P. Klein, “Responsibility”, in J. Katz Cogan, I. Hurd. I. Johnstone, “The Oxford Handbook of International Organizations”, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2017, pp. 1026-1047. P. Pustorino, “Introduction to International Human Rights Law”, Berlin, Springer, 2023, Chapter. 4.

Lessons, seminars, and exercises. Paper presentations on hot topics and trends.

Attending Students will be assessed based on their individual achievements during the course (30%) and the final exam (70%). To this end, two mandatory mid-term assessments will test the knowledge they acquired during the course. The average grade resulting from the two mid-term assessments will account for 30% of the final mark. In the event of absence or withdrawal from one or more mid-term assessments, the corresponding evaluation will be insufficient and will concur to the calculation of the average grade. Students cannot reject the grades obtained in individual tests nor the average grade. The average grade will concur for the 30% in determining the overall final grade; it remains valid only for the two examination sessions immediately following the end of the semester (May and June). Final Exam For those who have passed both mid-term assessments, the final exam will consist of an oral test on the entire syllabus. The grade will account for the remaining 70% of the overall final grade. Students may sit for the final exam in both the examination sessions scheduled within the semester (May and June), retaining the average grade obtained in the continuous assessment. For those who have not taken, not passed both mid-term assessments, the final exam will be a full oral exam on the entire Syllabus, accounting for the 100% of the final mark. Retake Sessions Students that retract, reject the overall final grade or do not pass the final exam (in May or June) have to sit for the retake session (in late August) and will undergo a full oral exam on the entire Syllabus accounting for 100% of the overall finale grade. Non-Attending Students duly authorized by the Dean of the Graduate School will only be assessed based on the final examination accounting for 100% of the final mark. It will consist of an oral test on topics covered by the Extended Syllabus (indicated above under “Reference books”).

The only requirements are a final grade of no less than 28/30 and a keen interest in the discipline.