Prospectus

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Migration And Children's Rights

Course
2020-2021

Course requirements

Advanced Master Programme Children’s Rights

Course information

The primary purpose of the course Migration and Children’s Rights is to provide insight in the legal protection of migrant children in order to enable the students to solve complex cases on different aspects of immigration law relating to children. Immigration law is characterised by its layered structure in which different legal orders influence the legal protection of migrant children. Both international and regional human rights law and refugee law all influence national law. In the European region (a specific focus point of this course because of its particular dimensions, problems and challenges) national law is also significantly influenced by law of the European Union. The interference between these different layers is an important topic in this course, as well as their impact on the position of migrant children at the domestic level. Migration itself can take many forms. Five different forms of migration are addressed this course. The main topics of these lectures are: introduction to migration law, asylum, subsidiary protection, unaccompanied minors, family reunification and statelessness. These issues will be approached from the perspective of international and regional law, with a particular focus on European law. After each lecture, the students have to solve and argue a case relating to the topic of the seminar in a moot court setting (in class). In a guest lecture, a specific topic will be discussed by an external specialist in the field.

Course objectives

The primary purpose of the course Migration and Children’s Rights is to provide insight in the legal protection of migrant children in order to enable the students to solve complex cases on different aspects of immigration law relating to children.

Achievement levels

The following achievement levels apply with regard to the course:

Knowledge and comprehension:

  • The students understand the role of children’s rights in the layered structure of immigration law.

  • The students apprehend the position of international (refugee) law in the context of European (EU) law.

  • The students know the most important case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights relating to children’s rights in immigration law.

  • The students are aware of the vulnerable position of children in immigration law and understand the different forms of legal protection available in the different legal orders studied in the course.

  • The student have read the most relevant literature relating to the subjects studied during the course.

Application:

  • The students are able to solve advanced cases relating to children’s rights in the layered structure of immigration law.

  • The students can apply different notions of international refugee and human rights law in the context of European law and vice versa.

  • The students can apply their understanding of the role of children’s rights in immigration law in an academic paper.

Analysis:

  • The students are able to critically analyse the role of children’s rights in international and European immigration law.

  • The students can differentiate between the different legal orders which are discussed and can evaluate to which extent children’s rights are effectively protected in these legal orders.

Presentation:

  • The students can orally present their solution of a complex case in a moot court like setting.

  • The students are able to write an academic paper relating to one of the subjects discussed during the course

Mode of instruction

Lectures:

  • Number of lectures and number of hours per lecture: 6 lectures

  • Names of lecturers: Dhr Prof.dr.mr. P.R. Rodrigues; Dr. M.A.K. Klaassen

  • Required preparation by students: Read prescribed literature and case law, prepare a journal relating to the subject of the lecture

Seminars:

  • Number of seminars and number of hours per seminar: 5 seminars

  • Names of instructors: Dhr Prof.dr.mr. P.R. Rodrigues; Dr. M.A.K. Klaassen

  • Required preparation by students: Prepare the cases which are discussed during the moot court session of the seminar

Other methods of instruction:

  • Guest lectures

  • Number of instructions and number of hours per instruction: 1 or 2 sessions of 2 hours

  • Names of instructors: to be confirmed

  • Required preparation by students: Read the prescribed literature and/or case law, prepare a journal relating to the subject of the guest lecture

Course Load

Lectures: 12 hours Seminars: 10 hours Guest lecture: 2 hours

Examination method

  • Written academic paper on a prescribed topic (3.000 - 3.500 words): 60 %

  • Written journals on the topic of the lecture to be handed in before four of the five lectures: 20 %.

  • Pleading statement during one of the moot court sessions: 20 %.

It will be up to the discretion of the relevant lecturer/examiner to decide on the form of the retake. The retake may consist of a written retake exam, oral retake exam or any other kind of assessment that is deemed appropriate.

Submission procedures:

All assignments should be handed in via BlackBoard.

BrightSpace

The literature is distributed through BrightSpace.
Submission of papers via BrightSpace.

Course materials

See under BrightSpace.

Contact

Coordinator of the course: Prof. dr. mr. P.R. Rodrigues Telephone number: +31 (0)71 527 8822 Email address: p.r.rodrigues@law.leidenuniv.nl

Disclaimer:
Currently these pages are being updated to reflect the courses for 2020 - 2021. Until these pages are fixed as per 1 September 2020 no rights can be claimed from the information which is currently contained within. In addition, due to the Corona (COVID-19) virus the courses may be adjusted. For the latest please check the course page in Brightspace.