Course objectives:

The course provides an opportunity for an in-depth study of human rights in the context of family law and the European Court of Human Rights case law. The course will combine lectures, debates, and student-led presentations. Active participation and debate will be promoted. Students will analyze and interpret ECHR case law to discuss conceptual issues related to Family law from the European perspective.

Syllabus:

The course consists of 12 lectures combined into six blocks: 

1) Human rights and family law, European Court of Human Rights, Convention

2) Family and family life

3) Marriage, Same-sex couples 

4) Parenthood and parental rights

5) Children's rights

6) Domestic violence, Child protection

Grading:

The student will get the mark "Passed" for successfully passing the course. There will be no examination; to complete the course, you must: 

1. attend all lectures (absence on one lecture (not the whole block) is allowed);

2. actively participate in all lectures (reading all the obligatory reading materials, actively communicating, and presenting  your knowledge and opinion in front of the class);

3. dully submit all homework (for every class, there will be one group or individual homework).

General reading materials:

MOWBRAY, Alastair. Cases, Materials, and Commentary on the European Convention on Human Rights. : Oxford University Press, 2012. ISBN 0-19-957736-6.

CHOUDHRY, Shazia and Jonathan HERRING. European Human Rights and Family Law. Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2010. ISBN 1-84113-175-X.

VAN BUEREN, Geraldine. Child rights in Europe: convergence and divergence in judicial protection. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing, 2007. 201 s. ISBN 978-92-871-6269-4.

 

Optional reading:

Blogs:

Optional and recommended MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses):

 

Discussion Group:

 

HUDOC: