Ateneo - UPO

The course is devoted to the study of the protection of human rights in international and European law. Lectures will focus on the theoretical foundations of fundamental rights in the international field, the evolution of normative systems and to the intersections with the law of armed conflicts. Particular attention will also be devoted to case studies, from which the main mechanisms of the system's functioning and the aporias linked to recent issues will emerge.

The materials will be made available by the lecturer via the DIR platform. Particularly doctrinal contributions and international judgments will be studied and compared. Non mandatory textbooks for the second part of the course are: P. Pustorino, Tutela internazionale dei diritti umani, Bari, Cacucci, 2022; F. Salerno, A. Annoni, La tutela internazionale della persona umana nei conflitti armati, Bari, Cacucci, 2023.

The aim of the course is to enable those undertaking studies in political philosophy to learn, from a multidisciplinary perspective, how human rights protection works in the international order. This is in order to arrive not only at a basic knowledge, but above all at a critical understanding of some of the dynamics of the relations between the state and the individual and their reflections at the international level. Acquiring this foundational knowledge involves the ability to analyse international dynamics relating to the legal protection of fundamental rights in various regional contexts, starting with the European context. An in-depth understanding of the various protection mechanisms will enable students to develop a critical approach to the evolution of human rights protection at an international level, both historically and in the context of current legal and political developments.

The general, historical and cultural knowledge acquired during the three-year degree programme.

The course will alternate between face-to-face teaching and discussion of the materials provided by the lecturer. In this way, alongside the traditional lecture, classroom discussion on both theoretical and practical aspects of the subject will be encouraged. As the lectures will address the various topics of the course through comparisons and discussions of the materials provided, attendance is recommended.

Meetings with students will be organised from time to time. Students are invited to send e-mails to stefano.saluzzo@uniupo.it. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

A written examination based on questions set by the lecturer covering the topics addressed during the course. Assessment is based on the following criteria: relevance of the discussion to the assigned topic (up to 6 marks); ability to explore critical issues in depth (up to 8 marks); logical and systematic presentation of arguments (up to 10 marks); use of bibliographical, case-law and practical sources (up to 6 marks).

The course aims to provide a critical insight into human rights, their conceptual and historical foundations, the main international legal instruments and the relationship with international humanitarian law. The course will offer a variety of disciplinary perspectives on the topic of human rights, starting mainly from international law, but also from history, philosophy, social anthropology and international relations theories. Concrete case studies will be used in the course to illustrate the range of human rights issues and the usefulness of international law. The combination of theoretical approaches, legal analysis and investigation of specific historical events and concrete case studies will enable students to acquire key skills in the application of human rights in a variety of fields. Current topics and students' interests will also be discussed as case studies within the core programme.

The course aims to provide the tools to: Improve the ability to think critically and engage in complex theoretical and practical reasoning; Be able to identify the different dimensions of human rights and accountability in contemporary international affairs, including through an understanding of different approaches to the study of human rights; Understand the functioning of the main international human rights legal instruments and relevant international human rights institutions; Acquire the tools to be able to independently conduct critical research on human rights and related international and national practice.