17 April-28 May (E03213) | Register for this course (page opens in new window)
Instructor: Dr. Gerd Oberleitner
This e-learning course provides participants with advanced knowledge of international humanitarian law and human rights law in armed conflicts. It puts the law of armed conflict in a larger context, traces recent developments and examines how the law responds to contemporary trends in and challenges to regulating the conduct of hostilities, mitigating the consequences of the use of armed force and protecting civilians in armed conflicts and other situations of violence and insecurity. It builds on the HREA's International Humanitarian Law (Foundation Course) and critically examines the changing nature of warfare and how it challenges the law. The course will allow learners to refresh their knowledge of international humanitarian law, discuss the role of law in contemporary situations of armed conflicts between, within and across states and learn about the role of human rights in armed conflicts and their interplay with international humanitarian law. Participants will discuss current challenges and trends in the protection of civilians and learn about international criminal jurisdiction for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The course also examines two fields of particular practical relevance: the place of human rights and humanitarian law in multi-national peace and stability operations, and the role of human rights and humanitarian law for humanitarian actors working in conflict zones.
This certificate course involves approximately 30 hours of reading, interaction with students and the instructors in the Learning Forum discussion, quizzes and webinars. The course is based on a participatory, active learning approach, with an emphasis on critical reflection and peer-to-peer learning. The maximum number of course participants is 25. Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate of Participation. It is also possible to audit the course.
Course outline
Week 1. International humanitarian law: a refresher
Week 2. Human rights in armed conflicts
Week 3. The protection of civilians: challenges and trends
Week 4. Peace operations, human rights and humanitarian law
Week 5. Humanitarian action and humanitarian law
Week 6. International criminal jurisdiction and armed conflicts
About the instructor
Dr. Gerd Oberleitner is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of International Law and International Relations of the University of Graz (Austria). His research interests are in international human rights law, international humanitarian law, human security and the law of international organisations. From 1998 to 1999 he served as Legal Adviser in the human rights and humanitarian law department of the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and has in subsequent years joined the Austrian governmental delegation to sessions of the (then) UN Human Rights Commission. In 1999, he co-founded the European Training and Research Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (ETC) in Graz and worked as the Centre’s Executive Secretary until 2002. From 2002 to 2004 he was Lecturer in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and subsequently Visiting Fellow at the LSE’s Centre for the Study of Human Rights until 2007. For more than fifteen years, he has taught international law and international human rights law in a number of institutions and summer schools and teaches regularly in the Venice and Sarajevo Master Programmes on Human Rights and Democratisation. He has been an instructor for HREA distance learning courses since 2003. His latest book is Global Human Rights Institutions: Between Remedy and Ritual (Cambridge, Polity, 2007).
Who should apply
The course is aimed at practitioners and professionals who want to gain knowledge in the field of the law of armed conflict, university students of international law, international relations, politics and other areas and NGO staff members. Participation in the HREA's International Humanitarian Law (Foundation Course) before taking this course is highly recommended. Participants should have a good written command of English and have high competence and comfort with computer and Internet use. HREA aims to ensure equal gender and geographical distribution across the selected participants. The maximum number of course participants is 25. It also possible to audit the course. A Certificate of Participation will be awarded upon successful completion of the course.
Costs
Tuition fee for participants: US$ 435 (25% discount) if paid by 15 February 2013; $ 490 (15% discount) if paid by 15 March 2013; $ 575 after 15 March 2013.
Tuition for auditors: US$ 165 (25% discount) if paid by 15 February 2013; $ 185 (15% discount) if paid by 15 March 2013; $ 215 after 15 March 2013.
Payments can be made online with major credit cards, PayPal and check (Canada and USA). Bulk rates are available.
Registration
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Frequently asked questions about HREA's e-learning courses.
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