聯合國人權機制導論
Introduction to the United Nations and Human Rights Mechanisms
| 節 | 週日 |
|---|---|
3 10:10–11:00 | 聯合國人權機制導論 MB1069 |
* 根據陽明交大上課時間表所列
Have you wondered what the United Nations is, what it does, and how? Then this course is for you. Through examples and exercises, we will explore the different United Nations mechanisms, including its Security Council, Human Rights Council and Special Procedures. During this class, you will learn about where the United Nations came from, its mandate, and its different working methodologies. You will understand what makes the United Nations so influential in our global society and some of the challenges it faces in fulfilling its mandate. This class is interactive and active participation is expected.
The course interactive. It is based on readings and class discussion. In addition to lectures and class discussions, every class incorporates experiential and participatory learning methods, including practical exercises, group work, simulations, and group presentations. All instruction, discussions, and assignments will be conducted in English. Readings will be assigned at least one week prior to each class and would comprise of mixture of law, anthropology, news, political science, and UN reports.
Class participation is expected and evaluated. Students who take this course for credit should be well prepared for each class and participate in class discussion. The final grade will consist of class participation (50%) and final presentation (50%).
| 週次 | 主題 |
|---|---|
| 第 1 週 | Introduction to the United Nations and the concept of soft power Why do countries willingly agree to be bound by international laws and comply with the decisions made by international institutions such as the United Nations? Why do they willingly give up their sovereignty? To answer these questions, in this first class, we will examine the origins of the United Nations and its vast system of international laws and mechanisms. We will explore where the United Nations gets its ‘power’ – the ability to affect States to buy into and comply with the international system through diplomacy, culture, history, morality, and legitimizing authority (i.e., the exercise of ‘soft power’ to attract and co-opt as opposed to military and economic ‘hard power’, which the United Nations has little of). |
| 第 2 週 | International spirit of Convention committee reviews In April 2022, Taiwan will have its third review of its compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) by a panel of foreign experts. While Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, it adopts monitoring reviews by international independent experts because they are an important component of the Convent process. In this class, we examine the United Nations Convention Committee review process and the role these committees of international independent experts play in maintaining engagement and transparency in the covenant system. |
| 第 2 週 | Politics of the Security Council Why do the five permanent members of the Security Council – China, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France – hold absolute and undemocratic control. In this current political environment, with these countries at each other’s throats, how can anything get done? The United Nations Security Council has the primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security, including to investigate disputes, enact international sanctions, and authorize military action. In this class, we will examine the dynamics of the United Nations Security Council and the controversy of its five permanent members with ‘veto’ power, and explore how decisions are made on international peace and security. |
| 第 3 週 | Are Peacekeeping missions doomed to failure? United Nations peacekeeping missions are intended to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace. Currently, there are 12 active peacekeeping missions, including in Syria, Lebanon, Kosovo, Cyprus, Pakistan, India, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But these peacekeeping missions have been criticized as ineffectual and characterized by a wide range of problems from being under-resourced, mismanaged, failing to act when civilians are under threat, and rights abuses of peacekeepers. Are these peacekeeping missions a vestige of colonialism and doomed to failure or an important tool for the maintenance of international security and peace? In this class, we’ll explore both side of this issue by examining present and past peacekeeping missions. |
| 第 3 週 | Universal periodic review – a State-led process Standing in contrast to the convention committee reviews is the Universal Periodic Review process, which is a State-driven process. Under this mechanism, the human rights situation of all 193 United Nations Member States is reviewed every 5 years. First beginning in 2006, the Universal Periodic Review provides an opportunity for all States to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to overcome challenges to the enjoyment of human rights. Following an interactive discussion between States, recommendations are made by them, and the reviewed State decides which recommendations to accept. In this class, we will explore the pros and cons of the State-driven process as opposed to one that is expert-led. |
| 第 4 週 | Student final project presentations Each student will be required to make a final project presentation, which will be 50% of the class grade (the other 50% is class participation). Details on this presentation will be provided during the first class. |
| 第 4 週 | Investigative mechanisms and the challenges of evidence collection Without police, military or prosecutors, how does the United Nations conduct investigations into some of the world’s worst conflicts and human rights situations, including Syria, Myanmar, and North Korea? How do they interview victims and collect evidence if they’re not even let into the country, which is usually the case? How do they maintain credibility? In this class, we will take a deep dive into how witnesses are interviewed, testimony is verified, evidence is collected, and findings are made by the United Nations investigative mechanisms. |