This course provides an introduction to the burgeoning field of business and human rights. It begins with an introduction to international human rights law that contrasts this body of law with American civil rights law. It then briefly examines the historical antecedents to the development of the modern business and human rights movement as we know it in the 1990s, before exploring how and when corporations are held legally liable for causing and contributing to human rights abuses in several different legal systems. It then examines the different roles that the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights assigns to governments and corporations in protecting and respecting human rights, before finally considering how human rights considerations are increasingly incorporated into business decision-making and due diligence processes. Case studies and real-world examples will be explored and examined at every stage of the course.
Graduation Requirements: Satisfies Advanced Writing Requirement
Final Assessment: Paper