The following reading list is common for the courses taught at bachelor’s and master’s level. Note that there are different achievement requirements:
- Master’s level (10 credits): A good understanding is required
- Bachelor’s level (10 credits): A general understanding is required
Course content
The legal protection of human rights on the international level is a concept that has developed largely since the end of World War II. The United Nations and regional organisations, most notably the Council of Europe, have taken the lead in ensuring respect for human rights through international legal and political mechanisms. This course focuses on the institutions, treaties and practices of these intergovernmental organisations, in addition to international criminal tribunals, providing a perspective of both the normative standards defining international human rights and the means by which they are monitored and implemented.
Achievement requirements
Achievement requirements for master’s level (10 credits):
A good understanding of universal and regional procedures, mechanisms, and institutions in the monitoring of compliance of human rights on the basis of required readings and lectures. A good understanding of the content of selected rights contained within the main international human rights conventions. A good understanding should include analysis based on the practice and interpretation of international organs.
Achievement requirements for bachelor's level (10 credits):
A general understanding of universal and regional procedures, mechanisms, and institutions in the monitoring of compliance of human rights on the basis of required readings and lectures. A general understanding of the content of selected rights contained within the main international human rights conventions. The general understanding should be based on the relevant treaty provisions and an overview of the practice of international organs.
Reading list
Master's level:
Please note! Since what you learn in this course is part of International Law, we strongly recommend that you read: Burgenthal,T.and Murphy, S.D., Public International Law in a Nutshell. Fourth Edition, St.Paul,MN: Thomson/West, 2007, to support your understanding of the required readings in the course.
There are other textbooks on international law which further explore the subject. These include:
- Brownlie, I., Principles of International Law, Seventh Edition, Oxford: Oxford Press, 2008
- Cassese, A.,International Law, Second edition,Oxford University Press, 2008;
- Crawford, James, Brownlie’s, Principles of Public International Law, Eight Edition, Oxford: Oxford Press, 2012.
- Evans, MD (ed.), International Law. Second Edition,Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010
Required Reading:
Books:
Buergenthal, Thomas et.al, International Human Rights in a Nutshell, 4th ed., St. Paul, MN: West Group 2009,
Pp:374-411 (38pp): International humanitarian law and international criminal tribunals
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A Textbook. Second Revised Edition, Asbj?rn Eide, Catharina Krause and Allan Rosas (eds.),The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2001:
- Pp: 9-28 (20pp) economic, social and cultural rights
Schütter, de Olivier, International Human Rights Law, Cases, Materials, Commentary, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014 (540pp):
- The emergence of international human rights, pp.13-146 (133pp)
- The prohibition of discrimination, pp.632-804(173pp)
- The mechanisms of protection, pp.807-1040(234pp)
Smith, Rhona, Textbook on International Human Rights, 7th ed.,Oxford:Oxford University Press 2016. (123pp):
- Pp: 38-51, 179-189 (23pp):The International Bill of Human Rights
- Pp: 216-231, 234- 247(30pp): The right to life and freedom from torture
- Pp: 287- 301 (15pp):The right to self-determination
- Pp: 304- 316 (13pp):Freedom of Expression
- Pp: 347-388 (42pp): Minority rights; indigenous peoples’ rights; rights of women, children and refugees
Articles ( 38 pages) :
Alston, P. (2014). "Against a World Court of Human Rights." Ethics & International Affairs 28(2): 197-212.(16pp)
Nowak, M. “The Need for a World Court of Human Rights”, Human Rights Law Review, Vol. 7, Issue 1, pp. 251-259 (9pp).
Ulfstein, G. (2008). "Do We Need a World Court of Human Rights?" Law at War – The Law as it was and the Law as it Should Be. O. Engdahl and P. Wrange, Brill: 261-273.(13pp)
At each lecture students should prepare to discuss “cases” from the main literature, four of which shall be studies in depth in seminars, TULSA.
TOT: 724 pp
Additional pensum material consisting of primary documents such as official documents, relevant decisions and cases from universal or regional institutions in support of the reading requirements and lectures will be referred to in the detailed course outline with relevant web address or made available on fronter for each lecture.
For the developments relating to the Human Rights Council: The following reports should be read: “Righting Historic Wrongs; The First session of the Human Rights Council; "Neither Mountain nor Molehill – Un Human Rights Council One Year On”; “Digging Foundations or Trenches – UN Human Rights Council Year 2”; “A Curate’s Egg. UN Human Rights Council: Year 3”, all reports by R. Brett. These reports can be found on www.quno.org under Publications and Statements, Quaker United Nations Office.
Bachelor's level :
Please note! Since what you learn in this course is part of International Law, we strongly recommend that you read: Burgenthal,T.and Murphy, S.D., Public International Law in a Nutshell. Fourth Edition, St.Paul,MN: Thomson/West, 2007, to support your understanding of the required readings in the course.
There are other textbooks on international law which further explore the subject, e.g. Brownlie, I., Principles of International Law, Eight Edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Required reading:
Buergenthal, Thomas et.al, International Human Rights in a Nutshell, 4th ed., St. Paul, MN: West Group 2009, (96pp)
- Pp: 77-116 (39pp): Other core human rights treaties
- Pp:374-411 (38pp): International humanitarian law and international criminal tribunals
- Pp: 481-499 (19pp): NGOs
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A Textbook. Second Revised Edition, Asbj?rn Eide, Catharina Krause and Allan Rosas (eds.),The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2001.(58pp):
- Pp: 9-54 (46pp) economic, social and cultural rights
- Pp: 119-130 (12pp) the right to development
Smith, Rhona, Textbook on International Human Rights, 7th ed.,Oxford: Oxford University Press 2016. (290pp):
- Pp: 1-25 (25pp): Historical background
- Pp. 26-36, 52-178 (136pp): Institutions and mechanisms
- Pp. 37-51, 179-191 (26pp):The International Bill of Human Rights
- Pp. 216-248(32pp): The right to life and freedom from torture
- Pp: 287-303 (16 pp):The right to self-determination
- Pp: 304-317 (13pp):Freedom of Expression
- Pp: 347-389 (42pp): Minority rights; indigenous peoples’ rights; rights of women, children and refugees
TOT: 444pp
Additional pensum material consisting of primary documents such as official documents, relevant decisions and cases from universal or regional institutions in support of the reading requirements and lectures will be referred to in the detailed course outline with relevant web address or made available on fronter for each lecture.
Reference texts:
Master's and Bachelor's Level:
Brownlie’s documents on human rights, 6th ed. Brownlie, Ian and Guy S.Goodwin-Gill, (eds.),Oxford: University Press, 2010.
OR
Global and regional treaties, Ole Kristian Fauchald and B?rd Sverre Tuseth (eds.) Oslo : Department of Public and International Law, University of Oslo, cop. 2016.
Earlier editions of Folkerettslig Tekstsamling, 3.utgave, Buflod, Sandnes og Aasebo (red.), Oslo: Cappelen Akademisk Forlag, 2006, AND Basic Documents on Human Rights, 5th ed., Brownlie, Ian and Guy S.Goodwin-Gill, (eds.),Oxford: University Press, 2006, may also be adequate BUT students need to check that the needed documents are included
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