Indigenous Peoples in International Law

Students become familiar with Indigenous peoples’ involvement in human rights movement and corresponding developments (drafting of instruments, claims, reports, hearings, and cases) in United Nations, Organization of American States, and other institutions. Particular attention is paid to U.N. General Assembly’s 2007 adoption of Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as well as to regional developments around world. Additional focus on challenges of implementing human rights standards to improve situation of Indigenous peoples in domestic settings, including U.S. Study of contemporary instances in which Indigenous peoples have used international human rights system to address issues in self-governance and political participation. Concurrently scheduled with Law 444. In Progress grading (credit to be given only on completion of course 280B).