This advanced course deepens students’ understanding of democratization and democratic backsliding by engaging with recent research at the intersection of comparative politics and international relations. It begins with a recapitulation of economic explanations of democratization, revisiting the classic debate on how economic growth and inequality shape political regime transitions while introducing new research that highlights the risks of democratic backsliding under conditions of poor economic performance. The course then introduces new thematic modules on the impact of democracy aid channeled through civil society; citizens’ responses to democratic backsliding; the international dimension of democratic erosion, and the influence on these patterns of the global apathy for democracy promotion.

TEACHING METHODS

In-presence teaching alternates between lectures and student presentations, with the aim of fostering critical engagement with the literature and strengthening analytical and communication skills. Students will be given in advance the material they have to present in class. After the in-presence classes, there will be one online lecture. Finally, the course concludes with an in-presence written assessment combining open-ended and multiple-choice questions.

• Lectures in presence (10 hours)

• Student presentations and group discussions in presence (5 hours)

• Online lecture and final in-presence exam (3+2 hours)

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15h general lecture in English 

5h in-depth studies in English

Interaction with the students all along

Structure (broadly):

INTRODUCTION: The need for criminal justice to go beyond borders

PART A: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE

CHAPTER 1: General scope of application

CHAPTER 2: Fundamental principles

PART B: TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPROVED: EU CRIMINAL JUSTICE

CHAPTER 1: Key elements to increase effectiveness

CHAPTER 2: EAW and EIO as hit instruments

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Topics:

• What is “Global Security”?

• The role of the United Nations: Security Council; peace operations

• The use of force in peacekeeping operations

• The role of NGOs

• UN international sanctions

• The fight against international terrorism

• The general issue of arm control

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The protection of fundamental rights is a core dimension of both international and European law. However, its effectiveness largely depends on the implementation of legal remedies at the universal/international and regional/European levels. Indeed, human rights litigation today comprises various international and supranational mechanisms for resolving disputes, whether between states or between individuals and public authorities.
This course aims to explore the interaction between the protection of fundamental rights and the various dispute resolution mechanisms related to this area, focusing on the position of the individual within the systems for safeguarding fundamental rights as provided for by international law, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the law of the European Union.

• Course outline (simplified):
   Introduction
• Types of mechanisms for the protection of fundamental rights
• The universal/international level: Sources of fundamental rights at the international level
• The universal/international level: Procedures before the UN Human Rights Council and treaty bodies
• The regional/European level: Key features of the European Convention on Human Rights
• The regional/European level: Litigation before the European Court of Human Rights
• The regional/European level: The protection of fundamental rights within the legal order of the European Union
• The regional/European level: Fundamental rights litigation before the Court of Justice of the European Union
• The interaction between the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union in the context of the protection of fundamental rights

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