Costa Rica Summer Program in Ciudad Colón

Course Descriptions

Although there are three distinct classes taught during this course, the topics they address are contiguous and, to a certain extent, overlap. At the beginning of the course, the instructors will co-teach a few hours to introduce students to international law and its institutions. While teaching their respective classes, the instructors will highlight, as necessary, the connections between international environmental law and international human rights.

SELECTED ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS - 3 credits

(Associate Dean Michael Waterstone and Professor Julie Waterstone)

Dean Waterstone will teach a 2 credit component on international disability rights, while Prof. Julie Waterstone will teach a 1 credit component on children rights in international human rights law. This course will explore two key topic areas in international human rights: those involving people with disabilities and juveniles. We will study the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the newest human rights treaty) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. For each, we will discuss state-level implementation of these instruments, as well as domestic developments in each of these topics with an eye toward their consistency (or lack thereof) with international standards."

SELECTED ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW - 1 credit

(Professor Cesare Romano)

This short course will focus on international protection of biodiversity, including species specific treaties (e.g. Whaling convention); threat specific treaties (i.e. International Convention on The Trade of Endangered Species); and holistic conventions (i.e. 1992 Convention on Biodiversity).