Strategic Implications of Human Rights and Rule of Law (HR/ROL)
Next Course: October 22 – November 2, 2012 (in-residence phase)
Application period: By invitation only
Admissions - Syllabus - Scholarships
The course is conducted in Spanish. No interpretation is available. Fluency in Spanish is required for reading theoretical and conceptual materials and for conducting group discussions. The ability to read theoretical and conceptual materials in English is also required since many of the readings are in this language. Candidates may be interviewed telephonically prior to final selection to assess their language skills.
» Course Director: Mr. Patrick Paterson
» Overview
This is an eight-week course, with a three-week on-line distance learning phase, a two-week resident phase, and a three-week research and writing phase. The on-line learning system Blackboard and e-mail will be used during the on-line phase. It is expected that participants interact with their classmates and professors in asynchronous as well as synchronous sessions. Participants are required to read an average of 80 pages per week. In the resident phase, the course is conducted in a combination of individual study, discussions of the literature, conferences and panels, and case study and exercises. It is expected that the students read an average of 40-60 pages per day. At the end of the course each participant will receive an individual evaluation, with grade.» Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to deepen the participant's understanding and analysis of complex topics of human rights, the rule of law, international humanitarian law, military professionalism, the law of armed conflict, and transitional justice. In addition to the issues, the course will examine issues such as the use of military force to promote human rights; the development of international criminal courts, truth commissions, and other instruments of transitional justice; the intersection of humanitarian and human rights law, with an introduction to war crimes, crimes against humanity and the specific crime of genocide; the use of the military in domestic law enforcement operations; human rights considerations involving globalization and transnational corporations; and the human rights dimensions of terrorism.
» Candidate Profile and Requirements
Candidates must be professionally engaged in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of public policies concerning human rights or international humanitarian law, coming from the following institutions/activities:
• Personnel who work directly on human rights issues for the nation's security forces.
• Government personnel who work on human rights issues in organizations other than the military or police (e.g., Ministry of Justice, national legislature, military war colleges, etc.).
• Personnel from civilian organizations with interest in human rights including non-government organizations (NGO), academic institutions, and think tanks.
The course is taught at the graduate level; therefore, it is required that candidates hold a university degree or equivalent practical experience. Military and police personnel must have completed a command and staff course or equivalent. Exceptions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Fluency in Spanish is required for reading theoretical and conceptual materials and for conducting group discussions. The ability for reading theoretical and conceptual materials in English is also required since many of the readings are in this language.
Candidates must be able to commit to participating in the pre-course online phase as well as the on-line post-residence phase, including synchronous and asynchronous sessions with professors and classmates.
Candidates must have access to the internet, preferably using a wide-band connection.