LLM Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice

LLM Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice
Transitional Justice Institute
University of Ulster
(Jordanstown and Magee campuses)

LLM Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice

We are currently accepting applications for the LLM Human Rights Law and Transitional Justice programme, for 2013-14 entry.  This exciting and innovative programme is offered by the Transitional Justice Institute and is the only one of its kind in the UK and Ireland.  It is delivered by active researchers at both the Jordanstown and Magee campuses, on a full-time (one year) or part-time (two years +) basis, providing excellent flexibility in location and duration of study.  The programme will enable you to develop skills highly relevant to legal practice, and to policy, research and advocacy roles.

Modules include: Foundations in International Human Rights Law; Foundations of Transitional Justice; Gender and Transition; Policing and Human Rights; Memory, Transition and Conflict; Political Violence, ‘Wars on Terror’ and the Law; International Criminal Justice; Critical Perspectives on Human Rights; Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Equality Law; Human Rights and Conflict Resolution; Transitions from Conflict – Law and Politics;  Minority Rights, Indigenous People and Human Rights Law; and Globalization, Development and Human Rights, Dissertation Research Methods and Dissertation.

Entry Conditions: Applications are invited from graduates in Law (or a related discipline with relevant experience) who have attained or are about to attain a second class honours classification. Further information on acceptable equivalent qualifications is available at www.ulster.ac.uk/prospectus

The Programme

‘Transitional justice’ presents an ever-expanding field of academic and policy interest. Its discourses and analyses have been applied across a geographically and ideologically diverse range of jurisdictions emerging from authoritarian and frequently violent pasts. These have included Latin American states shifting from military to civilian rule, the change from apartheid to majority rule in South Africa, and eastern and central European states in post-communist flux. Northern Ireland, following from the signing and implementation of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement is generally agreed by many academics and policy makers to illustrate many of the features of a transitional society.  Moreover, as a society which has experienced over 30 years of civil and often deeply violent strife it offers unique insights into the experience, management and negotiation of deeply entrenched conflict with multiple communal and state elements.  Overall Northern Ireland presents as a site of international and regional importance in terms of the implementation of human rights norms to the re-ordering of political life and a unique locus for human rights study.

The LLM course based at the Transitional Justice Institute, with staff expertise across a range of areas offers a programme which is designed to give students a unique lens on the study of human rights in the contemporary international moment.  Using the local Northern Ireland political and legal context as a starting point the course will imbue students with a working knowledge of international norms and principles, while at the same time encouraging students to move beyond the local to reflect critically on present international law norms and their application to other situations and contexts. Students are encouraged to develop and transfer knowledge, experience and expertise of the transformative possibilities of human rights law both in respect of societies emerging from violent conflict and in relation to the local and global management of other particular societal problems. This dual focus from the local to the global and back - is a core part of the course’s aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills base to contribute internationally as well as locally.

This programme has been developed to enable students to:

• Gain an in-depth knowledge of the theoretical and practical application of human rights law and the cross-cutting norms and institutional regulation applicable to transitional societies.
• Understand the particular human rights issues in conflicted and transitional societies.
• Gain knowledge and skills in carrying out research projects from design to write-up.
• Enhance skills in critically appraising published and commissioned research.
• Develop skills highly relevant to legal practice, and to policy, research and advocacy roles in the voluntary, public and private sectors in the UK, Ireland and beyond. Successful completion may also open up a range of further study and research options.

Unique Selling Points

The Transitional Justice Institute in Northern Ireland is uniquely placed to deliver an effective and stimulating programme of study in this area. Key highlights of the programme include:

• Opportunity to undertake an LLM programme with a specific focus on transitional justice, the only LLM programme of its type in the UK;
• The programme is delivered by active researchers in the TJI, many of whom have received international recognition for their work;
• The opportunity to gain unique insights into the legal protection of rights in transitional contexts, while studying in a society currently in a process of transition;
• Take advantage of the opportunities to specialise in identified areas e.g. human rights, transitional justice, peace and conflict research in divided societies.
• Enhancement of the skills you need for working with human rights in a range of sectors.
• Internship opportunities with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Disability Action (Centre on Human Rights for Disabled People), Law Centre (NI), Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities and the Human Rights Consortium - all based in Belfast.
• LLM Best Dissertation Prize, sponsored by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
• Extensive events programme (TJI Seminar Series, International Conferences) and distinguished Visiting Scholars programme.
• Excellent library facilities on both campuses. 
• Fully equipped LLM teaching rooms with integrated audio visual and video conferencing facilities at both campuses.
• Membership of the LLM Alumni Network.

Programme Modules

(Compulsory)

Foundations of International Human Rights Law (30 credit points)

Foundations of Transitional Justice (30 credit points)

Dissertation Research Methods (15 credit points)

Dissertation (60 credit points)

(Optional, 15 credit points)

International Criminal Justice
Gender and Transition
Policing and Human Rights
Memory, Transition and Conflict
Political Violence, ‘Wars on Terror’ and the Law
Critical Perspectives on Human Rights
Economic, Social & Cultural Rights
Equality Law
Globalization, Development & Human Rights
Human Rights and Conflict Resolution
Transitions from Conflict: Law and Politics
Minority Rights, Indigenous Peoples & Human Rights Law 

Please note that not all modules listed here will be offered in every academic year at both campuses. Applicants are advised to check, prior to application, if modules of particular interest are likely to be offered in that academic year.

Further Information

TJI website: www.transitionaljustice.ulster.ac.uk , or

Download Information Leaflet

Contact

Ms Emer Carlin
Secretary
Transitional Justice Institute
Magee campus
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 71675146
Email:[email protected]

Elaine McCoubrey

Transitional Justice Institute

University of Ulster

Jordanstown campus

Co Antrim

BT37 0QB

Tel: 028 90366202

Fax: 028 90368962

Email: [email protected]

www.transitionaljustice.ulster.ac.uk