HUMR5502 – Dealing with Diversity: Human Rights Approaches to Ethnic Conflict
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course examines how States respond to the challenges of ethnic and cultural diversity within their borders, through the dual lens of international law and comparative constitutional law. It explores how legal frameworks at both the domestic and international levels regulate identity, manage ethnic tensions, and structure claims to autonomy, self-determination, and statehood.?
The course analyzes legal responses to diversity, with particular attention to the protection of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples, as well as legal structures and debates around decolonization, secession, and recognition of States. While the primary focus is legal, relevant historical and political contexts will be considered to frame these developments.?
Case studies may include Norway, Kosovo, Spain, the United States-Puerto Rico, France-New Caledonia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara, offering comparative insights into how different constitutional systems and international law address these issues.?
Key themes include the legal regulation of group identity, ethnic minority and indigenous rights, autonomy arrangements, self-determination, decolonization, secession, recognition of states, and non-discrimination, as well as the tension between individual and collective rights.?
Learning outcome
Knowledge?
After completing this course, the student will have acquired knowledge of:?
The main legal concepts, principles, and frameworks in international law and comparative constitutional law relevant to ethnic diversity within States.?
The historical development of legal responses to ethnic conflict, including the evolution of key norms around self-determination, recognition of States, and decolonization.?
The legal status and protection of ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples under both international and domestic law.?
The legal structures and ongoing debates surrounding autonomy, federalism, decolonization, secession, and state recognition.?
The procedural aspects of resolving ethnic conflicts, including the legal regulation and use of referendums in that context.?
Skills?
After completing this course, the student will be able to:?
Identify relevant international and constitutional legal sources related to ethnic diversity, autonomy, and self-determination, including their philosophical underpinnings.?
Analyze the arguments of the parties and relevant case law in case studies involving ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, and contested Statehood.?
Assess the legal design and implications of referendums, autonomy arrangements, and recognition claims in ethnically diverse contexts.?
Distinguish legal, political, and historical dimensions of ethnic conflicts while maintaining a law-focused analytical framework.?
Apply legal reasoning to evaluate potential solutions to ethnic conflicts within the boundaries of international law and comparative constitutional principles.?
General Competence?
After completing this course, the student will be able to:?
Understand how international law and comparative constitutional law address ethnic and cultural diversity.?
Reflect critically on the role of law in managing ethnic tensions, autonomy claims, and processes of state recognition.?
Communicate legal perspectives on ethnic conflict in a clear and structured manner.?
Admission to the course
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master`s programme at UiO. All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.
Students admitted to other Master`s programmes may apply for guest student status.
Recommended previous knowledge
Students with no background in human rights studies are strongly advised to prepare in advance the recommended readings.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with HUMR5501 – Ethnic Challenges to the Nation State: Studying State Responses from a Human Rights Perspective (discontinued).
Teaching
Lectures and seminars with active student participation.
Examination
Students are graded on the basis of a 4-hour written open book digital school examination.
The candidates will take the exam on a PC and the submission is digital in Inspera.?Read about School exams in Inspera
You must familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to exam support materials, and?the use of sources and citations.
Examination support material
This is an open book digital school examination. You are permitted to use any materials written on paper during the examination. This includes books, lecture materials and your own notes, whether handwritten or printed. There are no restrictions on marking up or highlighting these written materials. Printouts/notes from Lovdata are allowed.
No electronic support materials are allowed. Lovdata Pro will be closed for all students during the 4 hour school exam.
Rules for citation are crucial for determining whether the use of exam resources is legal.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in 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.
This guide is used by examiners for grading this course.
Resit an examination
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.