National Security & Human Rights Seminar

This course examines in depth several national security law issues and their intersection with human rights and civil rights issues. Some of the topics include: the use of the criminal justice apparatus as a means to fight terrorism; torture; intelligence collection; and the use of drones. These topics will be put in the context of domestic and international laws that authorize and constrain the government's pursuit of national security objectives. We will examine where the line is drawn between conflicting rights and duties and where we think they should be. This course will also focus on scholarly writing - delving into topic development, research, thesis development and analysis, editing, and finalizing a scholarly paper. Students will write a final paper that may satisfy the Upper-Class Substantial Writing Requirement. Not open to students who have already taken or are currently taking the National Security Law survey course.