HUMR5134 - The Right to Peace

Course content

Peace and Conflict studies tend to focus on the causes and dynamics of conflict. This course seeks to explore the normative framework and substantive components of a “Right to Peace”. How do we actively create peace?

We begin with a review of the philosophical origins of the right to peace, followed by legal analysis of relevant international instruments. Special lectures address the substantive components of Peace: Sustainable Development, Fair Trade, Environmental Protection, Gender Equality, Non-Discrimination, Governance, Democracy, and Transitional Justice. Particular attention is paid to the role of civil society and non-state actors.

Learning outcome

• To attain general knowledge of the philosophical origins of the idea of a right to peace, as well as with the debate on its contemporary manifestation in liberal peace theory. To attain general knowledge of the normative framework within international law for the Right to Peace: UN Charter, Preamble, Articles 2, 9, 26.
• To attain knowledge of scope of application of non-discrimination and equality in relation to race and gender.
  To attain general knowledge of the principles of sustainable development, environmental protection, and fair trade in
  relation to peace.
• To attain knowledge of the development of transitional justice and the implementation of accountability measures within transition to peace scenarios.

Admission

You may register for this course if you have admission to one of the Masters programs at The Law Faculty. All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.

This course is a Masters Level class (in particular PIL, Human Rights, PECOS) open to law and social science students.

The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

For students studying for the professional degree Master of Laws: Prerequisites for studies as stated in the curriculum for the Law program at The Law Faculty.
Prerequisites for international exchange students: relevant undergraduate studies corresponding to three years at a university level.

Recommended previous knowledge

Prior knowledge of international law and/or human rights is helpful but not required.

Teaching

Lectures.

Access to teaching

Examination

15 pages paper with a maximum of 6000 words to be handed in at the end of the semester.

Examination support material

Language of examination

English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Explanations and appeals

You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.

Resit an examination

You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.

If a student has submitted a written assignment a second time in the same course s/he can only submit it in a new version. This means that there must be another title and theme, or that the new version must be considerably changed from the first version.

Students who wish to retake the exam in a later semester are not guaranteed that the course is ever repeated with a similar reading list, nor that the exam arrangement will be the same.

Withdrawal from an examination

A student may sit this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do so in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit the exam.

Special examination arrangements

If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.

Evaluation

Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.