University of Chicago

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1 University f Chicag Human Rights, State Svereignty and Persecutin: Issues in Cmparative Refugee Law Autumn Tuesday: 4-6pm. Curse N. 577 Jacqueline Bhabha Required Texts: 1. G. Gdwin-Gill, The Refugee in Internatinal Law (2nd Editin), Clarendn Press [1996] [Text 1]. 2. United Natins High Cmmissiner fr Refugees [UNHCR], The State f the Wrld's Refugees, Oxfrd University Press [1997] [Text 2] UNHCR, Handbk n Prcedures and Criteria fr Determining Refugee Status, UNHCR [1979] [Text 3]. Bks Reserved: 1. K. Musal, J. Mre and R.A. Bswell, Refugee Law and Plicy: Cases and Materials, Carlina Academic Press [1997]. 2. U.S. Cmmittee fr Refugees, Wrld Refugee Survey [1997]. 3. James C. Hathaway, The Law f Refugee Status, Butterwrths,[1991]. 4. T.A. Aleinikff, D.A. Martin and H. Mtmura, Immigratin : Prcess and Plicy, 3rd Editin, West Publishing C., [1995]. Assigned Materials: These will be available befre and during the curse. Primary surces and case materials are included. Week 1: Octber 6 Schedule Overview f the Seminar; the Relatinship between State Rights and Individual Rights; the Dynamics f Displacement. H. Arendt, "The Origins f Ttalitarianism," [1951], D. A. Martin, "The New Asylum Seekers" in The New Asylum Seekers: Refugee Law in the 1980s (1988) UNHCR, Text 2, Preface, Frward, Intrductin and Ch 1, Safeguarding Human Security, ix Surces: Universal Declaratin f Human Rights. Internatinal Cvenant n Civil and Plitical Rights, Arts 1-27.

2 Discussin Tpics: Where shuld the line between state svereignty and individual prtectin be drawn? What are basic human rights? What is refugee status a slutin t? Is the ntin f a refugee dependent n and defined by the existence f svereign natin states? Week 2: Octber 13 The definitin f a refugee - the evlutin f refugee status in internatinal law. The relatinship between human rights and refugee law; the distinctin between refugees and ther migrants. G. Gdwin-Gill, Text 1, Ch. 1, "Definitin and Descriptin, A. Shacknve, "Wh is a Refugee?" [1985] 95 Ethics A. Suhrke, "Glbal Refugee Mvements and Strategies f Respnse" in Aleinikff and Martin, Immigratin Prcess and Plicy, 3rd Editin A. Zlberg, A. Surhke and S. Aguay, "Escape frm Vilence" in Aleinikff and Martin, Immigratin Plicy and Prcess. D.A. Martin, The Refugee Cncept: On Definitin, Plitics and the Careful Use f a Scarce Resurce, [1991] R v Sec. f State fr Hme Dept ex p. Jeyakumaran [1985] 2. Salibian v Minister f Emplyment and Immigratin [1990] Surces: Statute f the Office f the United Natins High Cmmissiner fr Refugees Cnventin Art. 1(A)2; Prtcl Discussin Tpics: Is the cncept f a refugee utmded in the pst-cld War era? What criteria - cause f r need fr flight, r thers - shuld determine access t internatinal prtectin? Hw have states sught t narrw the cnventin definitin? Is immediate, life-threatening vilence t stringent a requirement? Is the requirement that an asylum applicant be targetted fr persecutin cherent? Week 3: Octber 20 Cmparative Refugee Law and Plicy Part I - U.S. Plicy and Prcess UNCHR, Text 2, Ch.5, "The Asylum Dilemma," T.A. Aleinikff, D.A. Martin & H. Mtmura, "Refugees and Plitical Asylum" in ed. Aleinikff, Martin & Mtmura, Immigratin and Citizenship: Plicy and Prcess (4th Ed.) ; K. Musal, J. Mre and R.A. Bswell, Refugee Law and Plicy (1996), "U.S. Law and Internatinal Nrms", Surces:

3 Excerpts frm C.F.R. Para 208: 'Prcedures fr Asylum and Withhlding f Deprtatin'. Discussin Tpics: D freign plicy cnsideratins still affect U.S. refugee plicy and practice? What des Sale v Haitian Centers Cuncil indicate abut the relatin between internatinal and dmestic law? 'Increasing Restrictinism in Immigratin Breeds Asylum Abuse, False Dcuments and Trafficking Rings.' Is there a way ut f this that des nt vilate internatinal law? Week 4: Octber 27 Cmparative Refugee Law and Plicy Part II: Eurpe and Africa UNHCR, Text 2, Ch.2, "Defending Refugee Rights", G. Gdwin-Gill, Text 1, Ch.8 (part) and Ch.9 (part), "Treaty Standards" and "Prtectin in Municipal Law", Minrity Rights Grup Internatinal, Refugees in Eurpe: The Hstile New Agenda (1997) Lawyers Cmmittee fr Human Rights, African Exdus - Refugee Crisis, Human Rights and the 1969 OAU Cnventin (1995). T. Maluwa, "The Refugee Prblem and the Quest fr Peace and Security in Suthern Africa". Surces: 1990 Dublin Cnventin Determining the State Respnsible fr Examining Applicatins fr Asylum Ldged in ne f the Member States f the Eurpean Cmmunities, Text 1, Cnventin n the Applicatin f the Schengen Agreement (Extracts), Text 1, EU Lndn Reslutin n Harmnised Apprach t Questins Cncerning Hst Third Cuntries. EU Cnclusin n Cuntries in which there is generally n serius risk f persecutin. 969 OAU Cnventin n the Specific Aspects f Refugee Prblems in Africa. Text 1, Discussin Tpics: Identify the principal similarities between the U.S. and Eurpean asylum systems - d they ffer the bna fide asylum seeker equal chances f effective prtectin? What are the mst significant differences? On current trends des it appear as if the U.S. is fllwing the Eurpean lead r vice versa? What are the principle differences between the 1951 Cnventin and the OAU Cnventin? Has the idealism f the OAU Cnventin been implemented in current practice? Hw shuld a (relatively) prsperus state like Suth Africa apprach the questin f grup eligibility fr asylum given the scale f African prblems? Week 5: Nvember 3 The central cncepts :'well-funded fear f persecutin'; subjective vs bjective criteria f fear; internatinal cnvergence n the standard f prf; the meaning f persecutin UNHCR, Text 3, G. Gdwin-Gill, Text 1, 34-59; K. Musal et al., excerpts re 'credible fear standard' and past persecutin. J.C. Hathaway, "Persecutin", The Law f Refugee Status (1991) D.A. Martin, "Bk Review f The Law f Refugee Status" 87 Am.J. Intl L (1993)

4 T.A.Aleinikff, "The Meaning f Persecutin" in US Asylum Law INS V Stevic INS v Cardza-Fnseca Matter f Mgharrabi R v Sec. f St. fr Hme Dept ex p Sivakumaran: Matter f Chan Gu v Carrll Kvac v INS Brca v INS Surces: Eurpean Unin "Lndn Reslutin n Manifestly Unfunded applicatins fr Asylum" (1992) Discussin Tpics: The actual wrding f s 243(h) is 'life r freedm wuld be threatened'. Which standard f prf des that crrespnd t (a) in terms f 'plain language', (b) in terms f the caselaw? Hw shuld the credible fear standard be understd and applied? When if at all can frced cmpliance with the law f a cuntry amunt t persecutin? If s des any cncept f state svereignty survive? Can ecnmic harms amunt t persecutin? Week 6: Nvember 10 Persecutin n Accunt f Plitical Opinin C.P. Blum, 'License t Kill: Asylum law and the Principle f Legitimate Gvernment authrity t 'investigate its enemies'. Canadian Immigratin and Refugee Bard, New Guidelines n Refugee Claims Related t Civilian Nn- Cmbatants Fearing Persecutin in Civil War Situatins INS v Elias Zacharias Blans-Hernandez v INS Matter f Maldnad-Cruz Matter f Izatula Singh v Ilchert Dwmh v Sava In re S..P.. In re D.V. Discussin Tpics: Is neutrality a plitical pinin? Terrrist v criminal : hw shuld ne distinguish between legitimate criminal prsecutin and gvernment persecutin? What special prblems arise in applying refugee standards in civil war situatins? When is a gvernment unable t cntrl a nn-state persecuting grup?

5 Week 7 -Nvember 18 Persecutin n Accunt f Scial Grup What is a scial grup? Mrat v Min fr Immigratin, Lcal Gvernment and Ethnic Affairs (Australia) Sec St. fr Hme Dept v Savchenkv (UK) - Claims based n Gender. INS Memrandum: 'Cnsideratins fr Asylum Officers Adjudicating AsylumClaims frm Wmen', May J. Bhabha, 'Embdied Rights: Gender Persecutin, State Svereignty and Refugees. A. Heltn and A. Nicll, 'Female Genital Mutilatin as Grund fr Asylum in the US'. Hmsexuality: Glchin v Sec. f State fr Hme Dept Matter f Tbs-Alfns In Re Inaudi Gender: Gilani Camps-Guardad v INS Laz-Majan v INS Fatin v INS Fisher I Fisher II Dmestic Vilence: In the Matter f A and Z Female Genital Mutilatin: In Re Fauziya Kasinga Discussin Tpics: Wuld it make a difference if gender were added t the list f persecutin grunds? Is asylum an apprpriate respnse t dmestic vilence, FGM, ppulatin plicies? Hw can/shuld ne decide what is 'fundamental t smene's identity'? Week 8: Nvember 25, 1998 Cessatin and Exclusin Clauses, Plitical Offences, Terrrism. J.C. Hathaway. 'Cessatin and Exclusin', The Law f Refugee Status Optinal: Nte, 'Frm Treblinka t the Killing Fields: Excluding Persecutrs frm the Definitin f "Refugee" ' [1987] 27 Va. J. Intl L. 823.

6 Surces: Internatinal Law Cmmissin, Draft Cde f Offences Against the Peace and Security f Mankind. UNHCR Handbk, Terrrism: Matter f McMullen McMullen v INS T V Sec St Hme Dept In the Matter f Pearsn Prsecutin v Persecutin: Bastianpur v INS Sadeghi v INS Discussin Tpics: What is the distinctin between a 'plitical' and a 'nn-plitical' ffence? D the victims f 'terrrist' acts make a difference t the nature f the acts? Can invluntary acts cnstitute 'assistance in persecutin' and shuldthey disqualify applicants frm asylum? What is the apprpriate standard? Week 9: December 2 Recent trends in internatinal refugee legislatin, litigatin and plicy; the cncept f temprary prtectin UNHCR, The State f the Wrld's Refugee- The Challenge f Prtectin [1993], UNHCR, U.S. Cmmittee fr Refugees, Wrld Refugee Survey 1997 (1997) A. Shacknve, 'Frm Asylum t Cntainment', [1993] 5 Intl J.Ref.L., J. Hathaway, "A Recnsideratin f the Underlying Premise f Refugee Law" [1990] 31 Harvard Intl L. J., Amnesty Internatinal, Playing Human Pinball (1995). J.C. Hathaway, "Can Internatinal Refugee Law Be Made Relevant Again?" Wrld Refugee Survey, J. Fitzpatrick, "Revitalizing the 1951 Cnventin" [1996] 9 Harvard Hum. R. J B. Frelick, "Assistance Withut Prtectin", Wrld Refugee Survey 1997, Cmmittee Against Trture, Tahir Hussain Khan v Canada, Nvember 18, 1994 Eurpean Curt f Human Rights, Chahal v UK extracts Surces: 1967 UN Declaratin n Territrial Asylum 1984 UN Cnventin Against Trture and Other Cruel, Inhuman r Degrading Treatment r Punishment [Extracts] Discussin Tpics:

7 Hw pwerful is internatinal law in the field f refugee prtectin? Identify the main strengths and weaknesses f the current internatinal regime in ensuring implementatin. Are the cncepts f 'temprary prtectin' and 'safe haven' a supplement r a substitute fr refugee prtectin as traditinally cnceived?