National Security and Individual Rights

SLN #: 15883
Course Prefix: LAW-791
Course Section: 1028
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor(s): Wala
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
This course will examine the legal and policy challenges of pursuing global and national security goals while respecting individual rights, democratic norms, and the rule of law. The course will compare and contrast approaches taken by the United States government with those taken by other key governments and international institutions such as the United Nations. Topics to be covered include 1) the use of detention, prosecution, interrogation, surveillance, and lethal force authorities against terrorism suspects; 2) invocations of emergency authorities and extraordinary powers and the militarization of civilian policing functions to respond to security threats--actual or perceived--such as COVID-19, civil unrest, internal conflict, and refugee flows; and 3) domestic and international legal mechanisms to secure accountability and remedies for war crimes and gross human rights violations committed in armed conflict and other security contexts.

In each topic area, students will learn the relevant U.S. and international legal frameworks, and any relevant foreign legal frameworks. Students will also examine case studies that illustrate how governments have responded to the security threats in question within that topic area. Students will analyze whether such responses were lawful, and whether any changes to the law may be necessary. For a number of topics, the course will include guest lectures from practitioners to inform how lawyers are dealing with contemporary issues in their practice. Evaluations will be based on response papers, a final paper, and class participation

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 3
Grading Option: Letter Grade Only
Written Assignment: Yes, see course description
Graduation Writing Requirement: No
Flexible/Upper-Level Writing Requirement: Yes
Skills Requirement: No
Simulation Course: No
Experiential Learning: No
Seminar: Yes
Special Withdrawal Course: No
Limited Enrollment Number: 15
Final Exam Given: No
Paper Or In-Class Presentation: Yes, see course description
Participation Points: Yes
Attendance Policy: Per Statement Of Student Policies
Teaching Method: In Person

* The law school has a policy that is used to calculate credit hours. Please see the Statement of Student Policies.