The main aim of this module is to introduce students to the European level institutions and systems for the protection of human rights, the promotion of democracy and the prevention of conflict. The module will incorporate a British focus on these systems but will also include study of the pan-European systems as regional systems in international law and a comparative treatment of human rights concerns in different European countries. The inter-relationships between the systems will also be explored.
The institutions and systems in question are the Council of Europe and its main instruments on human rights, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights; the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, its Office on Democracy and Human Rights and its human dimension documents; the European Union and the Human Rights protections provided by the Treaties.
The module will develop skills in the treatment of international and comparative concepts and procedures.