Sample Syllabus: International Humanitarian Law

SAMPLE SYLLABUS: INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

Main texts:

- Exploring Humanitarian Law at www.redcross.org/ehl - Dworkin, Anthony, Roy Gutman, and David Rieff. Crimes of War. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2007. Also at www.crimesofwar.org

Week 1: The Humanitarian Perspective

 Introductory Discussion: Armed conflict and attempts to limit it (i, pgs. 4-6)  What can bystanders do? (1A, pgs. 4-23)  Looking at humanitarian acts (1B, pgs.24-28)  Extension Activity: Why not outlaw war? (i, pgs. 4-6)

Resource: http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/introduction/resources/EHL-intro.pdf Resource: http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module1/resources/EHL-Module1.pdf

Week 2: Limits in Armed Conflict

 Limiting the devastation of war (includes human rights) (2A, pgs. 4-20)  Codes and traditions over time (2B, pgs.21-33)

Resource: http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module2/resources/EHL-Module2.pdf

Reading: Summary of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Their Additional Protocols: http://www.redcross.org/www- files/Documents/pdf/international/IHL/IHL_SummaryGenevaConv.pdf The Development of IHL: http://www.redcross.org/www- files/Documents/pdf/international/IHL/IHL_Development.pdf

Week 3: Child soldiers

 Focus on child soldiers (2C, pgs.34-47)  Extension Activity: Children and gangs (2C, p.39)  Extension Activity: Current events/youth action (2C, p.40)

Film: “I don’t want to go back” http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module2/C-resources.php

Reading: http://www.unicef.org/emerg/files/childsoldiers.pdf Crimes of War, pgs. 95-99

Week 4: Limits on Weapons  Focus on weapons (2D, pgs.48-69)  Widespread availability of weapons (2E, pgs.70-83)

Film: “Landmines keep killing” http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module2/D-resources.php

Readings:

Crimes of War, pgs. 62-63; 93-94; 304-306; 324-327 http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/small-arms-paper-250506.htm#a1 http://www.hdcentre.org/publications/skeleton-closet-survivors-armed-violence

Week 5: The Law in Action

 Identifying violations of IHL (3A, pgs. 4-14)  Chains of consequences (3A: p.7)  From the perspective of combatants (3B, pgs.15-27)  Research/discuss a current event that is an example of an IHL violation

Readings: Crimes of War, pgs. 103; 104-106; 119-120; 218-219; 341; 403; 415-416.

Week 6: Case Study on My Lai

 Who is responsible for respecting IHL? (3C, pgs.28-32)  Begin case study: My Lai (3D, pgs.33-57)

Homework: An Essay (3C, p.31)

Week 7: Case Study on My Lai (Continued)

 Continue case study on My Lai (3D, pgs. 33-57)  Debate: Who is guilty? (3D, p.38)

Film: “What we did at My Lai” http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module3/D-resources.phped

Week 8: Dealing with Violations

 Rationales and options for dealing with IHL violations (4A, pgs. 4-18)  Judicial options (4B, pgs.19-41)

Resource: http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module4/resources/EHL-Module4.pdf Reading: Fact Sheet: Prosecution of Violations of IHL: http://www.redcross.org/www- files/Documents/pdf/international/IHL/IHL_ProsecutionofViolations.pdf Fact Sheet: International Criminal Court: http://www.redcross.org/www- files/Documents/pdf/international/IHL/IHL_ICC.pdf

Week 9: Dealing with Violations (Continued) Resource: http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module4/resources/EHL-Module4.pdf  Continue Judicial Options (4B, pgs.19-41)  Non-judicial options (4C, pgs. 42-59)  Extension Activity: A torturer confronts his misdeeds (4C, p.46)

Reading: http://www.ictj.org/en/tj/ (an overview of transitional justice)

Week 10: Responding to the Consequences of Armed Conflict  Needs that arise from the devastation of war (5A, pgs.4-13)  The experience of fleeing (5A, p.8)  Planning a refugee camp (5B, pgs. 14-25)  Restoring family links (5D, pgs. 42-51)  Extension Activity: People who have been forced to flee their homes (p.9)

Film: “Forced From Home” http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module5/A-resources.php

Reading: http://www.unrefugees.org/site/c.lfIQKSOwFqG/b.4950731/k.A894/What_is_a_refugee.htm

Week 11: Responding to the Consequences of Armed Conflict (Continued)  Prisoners of war (5C, pgs.26-41)  Suggested class discussion: Detention, torture, and the rights of prisoners of war  Extension Activity: The difficulties faced by a prisoner after being released (5C, p.31)

Film: “Light in the Darkness” http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module5/C-resources.php

Reading: Crimes of War, pgs. 159-164; 328-332; 400-401

Week 12: Responding to the Consequences of Armed Conflict (Continued)  Overview of humanitarian organizations: Their work & guiding principles  Ethics of humanitarian action (5E, p.52-60)  Resource: http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module5/resources/EHL-Module5.pdf  Research a career with a humanitarian organization. What skills are required?

Weeks 13 & 14: Career Week and Wrap Up Guest speakers from aid organizations & discussion of careers in humanitarian assistance Where do we go from here? How can awareness and compliance with IHL be improved?