JUS5503 – Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism: Striking a Balance?
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This class will examine the evolving legal framework for balancing counter-terrorist and counter violent extremism actions and policies with human rights. Students will study normative instruments from the UN Global Counter-Terrorist Strategy and regional counter-terrorist institutions and juxtapose them with human rights standards and case law. The root causes of radicalization will be presented as well as the definition and elements of terrorism. The state's prevention and response strategies will be studied, including the application of states of emergency, tracking the financing of terror and application of sanctions, as well as the consequences of arbitrary detention and deportation. Dilemmas resulting from conflicting interpretation of the scope of freedom of expression and freedom of association, the interface of surveillance with privacy rights, the role of women, and the impact on children's rights will be examined
For students enrolled in Rettsvitenskap (jus) (master): Have you considered a specialization as part of your degree? The course is part of the profile Internasjonal rett og menneskerettigheter.
Admission
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master’s programme at UiO or the faculty's exchange programme. You can also register for this course if you do not have admission to any programme at UiO, but meet the formal prerequistites.
All students are required meet the formal prerequistites.
Have you met the formal prerequisites at another institution than the University of Oslo, and the results are not formally registered at UiO, you must apply for admission to courses at Master’s level . Students with admission to Master’s degree programmes at other faculties than The Faculty of Law must also apply for admission.
When your admission is in order you must register for courses in StudentWeb
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Students must fill one of these requirements:
- Passed 1st - 3rd year of the 5-years degree Master of Laws (Master i rettsvitenskap at UiO) (or exams that qualify for exemption for these) or
- Hold a 5-years Master’s degree in Laws (Master i rettsvitenskap at UiO) or equivalent.
Exemptions from the formal prerequisites will be given to students with admission to the faculty's own exchange or master’s degree programmes. This rule does not apply to students with admission to other master’s degree programmes at the University of Oslo, unless otherwise agreed.
Recommended previous knowledge
An understanding of international law, the substance of individual human rights, and structures of major international organizations are recommended. This is an advanced course that builds upon these foundational elements.
Teaching
The course is conducted through lectures, student assignments and seminars with oral presentations by students.
Examination
Two written individual memos:
1000 and 2500 words
Compulsory activities:
Class Debate participation on the scope of freedom of expression in the context of counter-terrorism and counter-extremism (40%). Students will present arguments either in favor or against restriction of speech. Some of the students will write in favor of restriction of speech and other against. Students should demonstrate knowledge of the concept of hate speech and incitement to violence. Each student will write 1000 word memo.
Group presentation with individual memos delineating recommendations for how to incorporate human rights within counter-terrorism/counter-extremism practice (60%). 6 students per group, each group should select a different human rights topic to be approved by Professor Bailliet on the first day of class. Each group can give a ten minute presentation on the last day of class. Students will submit individual memos which may be based on interviews with police or intelligence officers, human rights NGOs, and/or desk study of reports or international, regional, or national case law, and reference to relevant human rights instruments. Each student will hand in 2,500 word memo.
See detailed examination guidelines in Canvas
Footnotes should NOT be included in the word count for the two memos. Not included in this count: front page (title etc.), summary, table of contents and references (bibliography). (If relevant for the paper).
Assignments/papers with text exceeding the word limit will not be accepted.
Use of sources and rules for citing.
Be sure that you are familiar with the use of sources and the rules for citing/quoting from others’ work
UiO uses a plagiarism checking tool as one of several instruments for detecting suspicion of cheating and attempted cheating.
Examination support material
All resources allowed.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Guidelines for the evaluation of grades at The Faculty of Law.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Resitting an examination.
- There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take this exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
There are special rules for resitting a passed examination in the master's programme in Law.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.
Other
- This course is possible to include in the Norwegian degree "Master i rettsvitenskap" from autumn 2012.
- The course has replaced HUMR5503