Human Rights in a Global and Regional Context

Université Clermont Auvergne

Fall 2022 Semester
Bartin GV
Lundi, 17h-19h30

Instructor Information

David MARTINI
Associate Professor

Phone: +33 4 73 17 76 52
E-Mail: david.martini@uca.fr
Office: Room 206
Office Hours: By appointment

Course Description
This course will introduce students to the practical human rights enforcement mechanisms
internationally. There is a two-part approach, first focusing on the global framework and
second, the regional organizations. Globally, the course focus on the UN framework, both
charter- and treaty-based mechanisms, the International Court of Justice and the work of
international non-governmental agencies. Regionally, the classes focuses on the three regional
systems in Europe, the Americas, and Africa.

The evaluation of the student is based on their class participation, thematic quizzes, a graded
outline of the research presentation, and an oral presentation of their work.

Course Objectives
Following the completion of this course, students should be able to:
• identify the impact of globalisation on human rights;
• understand and discuss the role of the various institutions in protecting and promoting
human rights;
• find and utilize human rights jurisprudence for research or practical purposes;
• compare and contrast how the different mechanisms, both regionally and globally,
address similar human rights issues;
• analyse and compare the underlying strategy of each mechanism with its efficacy; and
• evaluate the positive and negative aspects of promoting and protecting human rights
from a purely hard law perspective to one solely based on voluntary norms.

Course en Ligne
ENT: This class will be supported on our ENT system. You can locate the class through the
search function – it is titled: Human Rights in a Global and Regional Context; or you can
click on this link: https://ent.uca.fr/moodle/course/view.php?id=9460.

Prerequisites
Students must have access to a computer and the internet. Students must also be able to join
video conferences with both video and audio.

Assignments
Detailed information about assignments will be posted on the ENT as well as discussed in
class.

Group Presentation: Students will present topics in groups of THREE.

• Students must submit a detailed outline of their presentation to david.martini@uca.fr.
• The outline must be:
o Sunday before the presentation, by 17hrs via ENT platform.
o submitted in Microsoft Word (or similar program)
o the document must be named “[Title of Subject & First LAST Names in
Group.doc]”
o Must contain a reference section with at least 10 sources used in the preparation
(must use at least 5 sources from the UN Human Rights website)
• Presentations will:
o Last between 9 - 12 minutes in duration (Points will be deducted if it is too short or
too long)
o Be creative and visual – skit, video, or PowerPoint presentation
o Include an introduction: tell us the theme of your research & be clear about the legal
issue (which human right(s) is implicated) and give us a “road map” of your
presentation
o Analyze the human right(s) in the context of the human rights mechanism
o Include a small section discussing research & methodology including discussing
sources used
o Include a conclusion
• Videos must be sent to me before class so that I can play them during the live video
class.

Quizzes
Students are required to take a small quiz at the end of each section. The quiz will be opened
following the last class in the section.

Grading Policy
The final grade will be comprised of three (3) different parts: (1) Quizzes; (2) Participation;
and (3) Presentation.
(1) Participation/Attendance 10%
(2) Quizzes 20%
(3) Presentation 70%
 School Services
The university is committed to providing an inclusive educational environment, responsive to
the needs of all its students. It important for students to know that sexual misconduct/violence
should be reported to the school administrators.

Furthermore, students have the ability to access important school resources. If you are in need
of a counselor or someone to speak with, please see this link: http://sante.clermont-
universite.fr/Aide-psychologique
Course Schedule

Below is a tentative schedule of assignments for this course. I reserve the right to make
changes to the schedule as needed.

Start
Week Time Topic and Activities
Date
× Syllabus and Introduction
Lundi 17-
1 × UN Charter-based Monitoring System
19/09/22 19h30
× Quiz 1: Syllabus and Introduction
2
Lundi 17- × UN Charter-based Monitoring System
26/09/22 19h30
Lundi 17- × UN Charter-based Monitoring System
3
03/10/22 19h30 × Quiz 2: Charter-based Mechanisms
4
Lundi 17- × UN Human Rights Treaty-based System
10/10/22 19h30
Lundi 17- × UN Human Rights Treaty-based System
5
17/10/22 19h30 × Quiz 3: Treaty-based System
6
Lundi 17- × Region-based Mechanism: Europe
24/10/22 19h30
Lundi 17- × Region-based Mechanism: Europe
7
07/11/22 19h30 Quiz 4: European Human Rights System
Lundi 17- × Region-based Protection Mechanisms: America
9
14/11/22 19h30 Quiz 5: American Human Rights System
Lundi 17- × ICJ and Human Rights
10
21/11/22 19h30 × Quiz 7: The ICJ and Human Rights
Lundi 17- × Business and Human Rights
11
28/11/22 19h30 × Quiz 8: Business and Human Rights