SoSe 22: Human Rights and the Law and Politics of Space
Helmut Aust
Comments
Course description
Space is a central category of law in general and human rights law in particular. Human rights are primarily obligations on the state, its subdivisions and various organs. According to classic state theory as formulated by Georg Jellinek, the existence of the state is premised on a territorial basis. Yet, state control is challenged by various factors, both old and new. The control of a state over its territory can be reduced due to outside factors such as the armed attack or occupation by a foreign state. State control can also be weakened by deficiencies in terms of state organization, weak governmental institutions or other forms of state capture by powerful private actors. Such powerful actors can range from warlords over drug cartels to powerful transnational corporations. An additional level of complexity can ensue from the division of competences between the state and its own international subdivisions (i.e. provinces, cities and other subnational actors). Finally, territoriality is under pressure due to the ongoing digitalization of social, economic and political life.This course seeks to provide for various snapshots on the law and politics of space for our understanding of human rights protection. It proceeds on the basis of both legal and broader political science approaches. The latter are discussed in joint sessions with a course offered by Professor Boris Vormann at the Bard College Berlin. The latter joint sessions will be offered as additional online elements and will be made available for students as recordings.
Sessions will consist of a combination of lectures and open classroom discussions, involving student presentations. Participants can also write a term paper in order to fulfil exam requirements (Erasmus students and students from other disciplines). These papers (or drafts) will be presented in class in the last two weeks of the course.
By the end of the term, students will have a sound knowledge of the theory and practice of international human rights law when it comes to questions of space and territory. They will be able to discuss questions pertaining to this field with an interdisciplinary sensibility. They will have expanded their academic reading, research and debating skills.
close16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Course description
Space is a central category of law in general and human rights law in particular. Human rights are primarily obligations on the state, its subdivisions and various ... read more