The Rome Summer Program offers an engaging and practical course
of study for anyone interested in international and comparative
law. All instruction is in English and there are no prerequisites
or enrollment limitations. The 2013 Rome Summer Program curriculum
includes these offerings:
Comparative Law (2 credits)
Lucas
Rezende
Comparative Law will examine law and legal phenomena from
a variety of different perspectives, with an emphasis on
understanding how law operates and the role of law in society. It
will begin with a discussion of the theory which underlies
Comparative Law, primarily focusing on methodology and functional
analysis and will then discuss the traditional focus in Comparative
Law on the comparison between common law and civil law systems, and
on the subject of “legal families,” which consists of placing legal
systems in broad groups. The focus will then shift to specific
comparisons in civil procedure, and several other
areas.
European Legal History (2 credits)
Professor Jeffrey
K. Walker
In this survey course, students will explore the development of
continental European law from the promulgation of Justinian's
Corpus Juris Civilis in the mid-6th century to the
creation of the Napoleonic Code at the beginning of the 19th
century. This broad period of European history witnessed the
confluence of several streams of law--most notably Roman law, canon
law, and national customary law--each contributing to the creation
of the hallmark institution of the continental legal systems: the
civil codes. With emphasis on the study of original sources
supplemented by secondary texts, attention will be given to an
examination of the reinvigoration of the study of Roman law by the
medieval Glossators. The emergence of canon law and
Romano-canonical procedure will be studied, as will the importance
of early indigenous customary laws. The emergence of national legal
institutions in the 14th and 15th centuries will be considered, as
will the codifications of customary law. Finally, the influence of
early modern political and legal thought will be examined in the
17th and 18th centuries, culminating in Napoleon's landmark
codification of the French civil law. Comparisons to parallel
developments in the common law will be made as appropriate, but the
focus will remain on continental Europe. This course also features
several “walking lectures” to places directly relevant to the
subject matter of the course, including the Roman Forum, St.
Peter’s Basilica, a medieval manuscripts library, and the Vatican
Museum. Grading will be based on an examination and class
participation.
International Law and the U.S. Constitution (2
credits)
Professor
Margaret E. (Peggy) McGuinness
This course examines the U.S. constitutional doctrines applicable
to how international law is made, implemented and interpreted in
the United States. Topics include the distribution of
international relations powers between the three branches of
the federal government, the use of force under the Constitution and
international law, the status of international law in U.S. courts,
the scope of the treaty power, the validity of executive
agreements, the intersection of federalism on international law
obligations, and judicial doctrines applicable to international
relations questions in U.S. courts. Grades will be based on a
final exam.
International and Comparative Perspectives on Law and
Religion (2 credits)
Professor Mark L.
Movesesian
International and Comparative Perspectives on Law and Religion will
explore the ways in which different legal systems, including the
international human rights regime, accommodate the sometimes
competing demands of law and religion. After an introduction to the
theoretical underpinnings and history of the subject, the course
will address two main areas: free exercise of religion (e.g.,
religious exemptions, proselytism, and religious discrimination)
and the separation of state and religion (e.g., religious
establishments, the autonomy of religious associations, and public
funding). Throughout, we will compare how Western and non-Western
countries address these questions and consider the effect of
international human- rights norms. Grades will be based on a final
exam.
International Human Rights Law (2 credits)
Professor
Elizabeth Defeis
International Human Rights Law will start with an historical
introduction to the field, first looking at the pre-WWII status of
human rights (including not only civil and political rights, but
also social, cultural and economic rights as well as solidarity or
communitarian rights) in the context of traditional international
law and then focusing on post-WWII developments. Next, the course
will look at sources of international human rights law and
procedures available to enforce and ensure enforcement of human
rights violations, including regional arrangements, U.N. procedures
and the role of fact-finding, and the role of Non- Governmental
Organizations. The class also will study the role of international
human rights law in U.S. domestic law. In addition, the following
topics will be covered: the role of international tribunals;
humanitarian law and its relationship to human rights; the nature
of rights as universal or relative to culture; self-determination;
rights of indigenous peoples; women, racial/ethnic and cultural
minorities; right to development; and the obligations of states as
protectors and enforcers of human rights. Grades are based on a
final exam. Students who take this course are not permitted to take
International Human Rights Law.
International Art and Cultural Heritage Law (2
credits)
Professor
Leila Amineddoleh
International Art and Cultural Heritage Law provides students with
knowledge about the field of international art and cultural
heritage law. While focusing on the practical and legal aspects of
the international art world, the student will also be introduced to
public international law and private international law, including
fundamentals of international business transactions, museum
regulations, auction houses' and art dealers' responsibilities, and
cultural heritage law. Grades will be based on class participation
and a final. Students will also participate in a archaeologist-led
exploration of the Roman Forum, and a tour of the Villa Giulia
Museum led by a representative of the Italian Ministry of
Culture.
For more information on the 2013 Rome Summer Program course
curriculum, please
contact us. To apply to the program, please complete and return
the
application form.