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Graduate School
Constitutional Law II (human rights and judical review)
Minori OKOCHI Professor
Department: School of Law / Graduate School of Law
Class Time: | 2015 Spring Thursday |
Recommended for: | Second-year School of Law students |
Course Overview
Course Contents
This course examines the protection of human rights and judicial review system (The general remarks of Constitutional studies and government system are examined in the course 'Constitutional Law I'). First we make a survey of judicial review system in Japan. Then, we examine the constitutional theories and cases on human rights.
Key Features
In this course students will learn about interpretations of article same as other courses in faculty of law. But many of students do not want to become lawyers / paralegals. For them it is more important acquiring the ability to examine various daily issues from aspect of human rights than acquiring the details knowledge of interpretations. So, I will mention the history of human rights and the manifestations in other countries too. Through that, students may understand human rights – related issues deeply and cultivate their insight into those issues.
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Syllabus
Course Overview
Subject to completing the course 'Constitutional law I', in this course we examine the constitutional theories and cases on human rights. In Japan, the Constitution adopts judicial review system and we deal with most of the problems on human rights through judicial review. So it is not enough that you memorize interpretations of the Constitution. You need to examine when / where / how human rights are guaranteed or not actually in constitutional cases.
At first I lecture on a basic knowledge of judicial review in Japan. After that, we learn mainly about interpretations of the Japanese constitutions. But at the same time, I want to mention the history of human rights and the manifestations in other countries too. I want students to understand human rights – related issues deeply and cultivate their insight into those issues through this course.
Course Aims
The purpose of this course is
- To learn about famous human rights cases and consider them;
- To understand basic theories on human rights;
- To understand the judicial review in Japan and apply that to concrete human right issues.
Important points
I expect you to read newspapers (not TV or Internet news) daily. It is hard to study Constitutional law unless you pay attention to actual situation of politics and your society.
Course Schedule
Session | Contents |
---|---|
1 | Introduction: why protect human rights by Constitution? |
2 | The Judicial power and judicial review system(1) |
3 | The Judicial power and judicial review system(2) |
4 | Protection of human rights: Structural issues(1) Restrictions on rights |
5 | Protection of human rights: Structural issues(2) Applicability of rights |
6 | Right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness |
7 | Equality under the law(1) |
8 | Equality under the law(2) |
9 | Freedom of thought and conscience |
10 | Freedom of religion and Separation of government and religion(1) |
11 | Freedom of religion and Separation of government and religion(2) |
12 | Freedom of speech(1) |
13 | Freedom of speech(2) |
14 | Economic freedoms |
15 | Summary / Final exam |
Grading
Evaluation is based on the final exam (essay test).
100-80 points = A
70-79 points = B
60-69 points = C
0-59 points = D (Fail)
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Page last updated October 14, 2011
The class contents were most recently updated on the date indicated. Please be aware that there may be some changes between the most recent year and the current page.