Once peripheral to international law, indigenous peoples are increasingly at the centre of developments in international law. Competing claims for resources, land, and the recognition of rights, coupled with the rapid development of international and regional standards and jurisprudence, place indigenous peoples at the cutting edge of international law, in both practice and in theory. This course will introduce students to the institutions, standards and jurisprudence which structure indigenous peoples' relationship to international law. Addressing questions of indigenous status under the law, self-determination, land rights, cultural rights, natural resources, and state obligations of redress, the course will give students a concrete understanding of how indigenous peoples' rights claims have come to play a leading role in recent developments in international law.
3.15 hour examination
30 Credits