Program Cost and Details

 

Instructor: Professor Noah Novogrodsky

Class Meetings: January 3- January 14, 2022

Email contact: nnovogro@uwyo.edu

 

I.       WHY CHILE?

Santiago, Chile is one of the leading cities in Latin America, home to a dynamic economy, a burgeoning democracy, and several prominent universities.  Among those institutions is Universidad Adolfo Ibanez (UAI), where the law faculty is engaged in cutting edge issues surrounding women’s reproductive rights, criminal law, comparative constitutional law, and the regulation of trade, industry, natural resources and the environment.  The Chile course will offer opportunities for guest lectures in English from UAI faculty, International Court of Justice litigants, field trips to the Chilean Constitutional Court and Museum of Memory, and the opportunity to participate in bar association debates on reproductive freedom and water use.

January is summer in Chile and course participants will also have the chance to sample world-class food and drink, visit the UNESCO city of Valparaiso, and explore the fascinating city of Santiago.

 

II.       PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Chile Jan-mester class is to provide students with the opportunity to study law at a leading South American university and to absorb lessons from Wyoming and Chilean professors alike while learning about a resource-dependent economy similar to our own. For two weeks, students will explore topical international legal events in the Inter-American system and study the impact of these events on the development of human rights and natural resources law and policy.  The program will take place at UAI and students will be housed at a nearby guest house or hotel.

 

III.       REGISTRATION

Students will need to complete all application materials in the Cowboys Abroad portal (https://uwyo-sa.terradotta.com/) and pay the seat deposit by September 15, 2021.

 

IV.       2022 COURSE OBJECTIVES

Course Title: Comparative Law in Action

This course has two basic objectives: (1) to broaden the student’s knowledge of legal developments and institutions concerning Latin America, and (2) to examine specific questions related to accountability for human rights violations, the Chile v. Bolivia case concerning the Silala river, and recent controversies surrounding reproductive and marriage rights. This course will seek to address these recent developments both from a public law and international law perspective.  Its aim is to provide a forum for discussion and the exchange of ideas about future of natural resources and human rights law in South America with students and scholars. The course is open to law and graduate students from the University of Wyoming with an interest in international human rights law as well as energy, environment and natural resources law.

The majority of the literature in the course assumes an introductory level knowledge of macroeconomics and public international law.  Students with a limited background in these subjects may need to supplement the required readings with outside material.

 

V.       COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Participation

Your participation is important to the success of the class.  Therefore, we expect you to be present for each class.  Because classroom discussions are a key component of the course, we will ask for volunteers and/or call on students at random to answer questions.  We reserve the right to raise or lower your grade based on class participation and attendance.

Grading

There will be no final examination.  Grades will be determined as follows: 75% for the written paper 25% for class participation, including attendance, contributions to class discussions, and a class presentation on your work in progress.

Standards for Papers: The Paper should represent a rigorous effort by the student.  It should go beyond simply reporting what the law is and should include some critical analysis of the legal issues and/or public policy implications of subject matter relevant to the course.  The paper should be thoroughly researched, well written, and fully documented.  It must be an original work for this course only.

Each paper must be at least fifteen pages in length, exclusive of title page, table of contents, footnotes, and appendices.  Each paper must (1) be computer-produced on a letter quality printer; (2) be double-spaced; (3) use 12 point font and reasonable margins; (4) use proper English and correct spelling and punctuation; and (5) conform to the most recent edition of a Uniform System of Citation (e.g., the Bluebook).

**The paper is due by 5:00 pm on Friday February 8, 2022.  NO PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS TIME.

Class Presentations:  Students will be responsible for making a 10-15 minute presentation on a topic related to the daily subject.  Students should prepare an outline or power point of their topic and distribute it to the class and any other relevant materials to the class at the beginning of the class session at which they are making their presentation.

Honor Code

The Honor Code governs all work in this course. 

Required Readings

Due to the fact that this is a two week intensive course, a binder of reading materials will be circulated to each student several weeks before the start of the course.  You are expected to read the material prior to January 3, 2022 in preparation for the course and be prepared to cover different topics in class each day.

 

VI.       AGENDA

WEEK 1         Human Rights and Chile

 

Day 1               Jan 3    Introduction: What, Why and How of Chilean law

Day 2              Jan 4    The Inter-American Human Rights System  

Day 3             Jan 5    Addressing Crimes of the Past

Day 4              Jan 6    Current Human Rights Controversies in Chile

Day 5              Jan 7    Field trip to the Chilean Constitutional Court

                       

WEEK 2         International Law

 

Day 6              Jan 10 Natural Resources Law applicable to Chile              

Day 7              Jan 11  Water and Mining – Reconciling the conflict           

Day 8              Jan 12 Indigenous People and the Law

Day 9              Jan 13  Chile v. Bolivia (a case study)

Day 10             Jan 14  Field trip to Ministry of Foreign Affairs