Courses in the Summer Semester 2025
Kleine Übung im Öffentlichen Recht, Prof. Dr. DDr. Angelika Nußberger [in German]
The course prepares students for the public law examination in the intermediate exam. Case-based, it revisits the most important content of the legal fields covered in the exam: fundamental rights, constitutional law (Staatsorganisationsrecht), and general administrative law.
Basic knowledge of the legal fields Grundrechte, Staatsorganisationsrecht and Allgemeines Verwaltungsrecht is required.
- Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 in Lecture Hall A2.
- Registration: Klips 2.
The Inter-American Human Rights System, Flávia Oliveira Ribeiro [in English]
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the Inter-American Human Rights System (IAHRS), focusing on the structure, practices, and role of the Inter-American Commission and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
The course curriculum includes an analysis of the organizational roles and functions of both the Commission and the Court, detailing their procedures for handling petitions and monitoring compliance.
Throughout the semester, the course will also examine specific human rights topics addressed by the IAHRS, such as the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples, the challenges of forced migration and refugee status, and gender equality and women's rights. Significant cases and decisions of the Inter-American Court and Commission will be analyzed to understand their impact and the process of implementation of these decisions in the member states.
A comparative perspective with the European Court of Human Rights will be integrated into the course to highlight the differences and similarities in the operations and structures of these two regional systems. This comparative approach will help contextualize the IAHRS within the broader landscape of international human rights protection mechanisms.
Overall, the course aims to provide a thorough understanding of the Inter-American Human Rights System, its impact on national laws and practices across the continent, and its relevance to current human rights debates.
- Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 am at the Academy for European Human Rights Protection
- Registration & Information: Klips 2.0
International Law I, Prof. Dr. DDr. Angelika Nußberger [in German]
The lecture covers the fundamentals of international law, such as the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. Its purpose is to introduce students to the topics of international law beyond the basic curriculum and to engage in scientific and critical discussions about its challenges.
- Mondays from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM in Lecture Hall XVIIa.
- Registration: Klips 2.0
International Human Rights, Prof. Dr. DDr. Angelika Nußberger [in Englisch]
The lecture introduces international human rights protection and examines both international and regional human rights systems. It discusses the history of ideas, development, significance, as well as the institutional and substantive aspects of human rights protection. A particular focus is placed on the European Convention on Human Rights and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
A final test will be offered.
- Mondays from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM in Lecture Hall XVIIa.
- Registration: klips2.0
Legal development in Central and Eastern Europe: comparative analysis of legal cultures, Prof. Dr. Angelika Nußberger [German]
The lecture by Prof. Dr. Nußberger provides a comprehensive introduction to comparative law and focuses on constitutional concepts, their development, and structures in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.
Overview of the Content:
- Foundations of Comparative Law: Introduction to the methods and principles of comparing legal systems.
- Constitutional Concepts in the West and East:
- Key terms in constitutionalism and constitutional law.
- Theoretical models of constitutionalism.
- Practical examples and historical developments, including pre-socialist constitutional history, socialist constitutions, and post-1989/90 constitutional developments.
- Discussion on the emergence of an Eastern European constitutional tradition.
- Comparison of Constitutional Structures:
- Analysis of political systems: parliamentary vs. presidential democracy, federalism vs. unitary state.
- Examination of the role of constitutional courts, elections, political parties, fundamental rights, and duties in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.
- National Constitutions and Their Relationship to International/EU Law:
- EU accession processes.
- The role of international law in national constitutional law.
- The role of EU law in national constitutional law, including significant rulings by constitutional courts.
- Special Lecture: Topics are chosen in consultation with participants, such as the influence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on fundamental rights or the legal situation of stabilized de facto regimes (e.g., Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia).
- Schedule: Tuesdays from 5:45 PM to 7:15 PM in Lecture Hall VIIa.
- Registration & Information: Klips 2.0
Block lecture ‘Constitutional Comparison’ in the specialisation area ‘Public Law’ [in German], Dr. Ivo Gruev
The block lecture ‘Constitutional Comparison’ in the specialisation area ‘Public Law’ offers a comprehensive introduction to the comparative analysis of global constitutional systems with reference to the German Basic Law. The aim is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the diversity of constitutional solutions and to promote the ability to critically analyse different constitutional systems.
Constitutional comparison deals with the systematic comparison of constitutions of different states. It makes it possible to identify similarities and differences in the fundamental legal and political structures. The comparison not only reveals alternative approaches to constitutional issues, but also makes the cultural, historical and social backgrounds of different legal systems understandable. This helps students to better categorise their own legal system and learn from the experiences of other countries.
The course will cover the following topics, among others:
Introduction to constitutional comparison: At the beginning of the lecture, the basic concepts and methods of constitutional comparison are explained. The aims and benefits of comparing constitutional systems and the approaches used will be discussed.
Historical development and theories: Another focus is on the historical development of comparative constitutional research. Important theories and models are presented and it is analysed how historical events have influenced the design of constitutions.
Comparison of constitutional models: This section analyses different constitutional models, such as presidential versus parliamentary systems or federal versus unitary structures. Differences in the separation of powers and their effects on state organisation are worked out.
Fundamental rights in international comparison: A central component of the lecture is the comparison of fundamental rights catalogues in different constitutions. The course examines how fundamental rights are organised in different countries, the differences in case law and the influence of international human rights agreements.
Constitutional jurisdiction worldwide: The role and structure of constitutional courts varies worldwide. In this part of the lecture, different models of constitutional jurisdiction are presented, their competences and procedures compared and their significance in the respective countries analysed.
Current challenges and reforms: Finally, current issues such as constitutional amendments and reforms will be discussed in a global context. It will be discussed how democratisation processes, authoritarian tendencies, globalisation and supranational organisations influence the development of constitutions.
The lecture will take place as a block course on the dates indicated (April and May 2025). The course combines lectures with interactive discussions and case studies to ensure practical relevance.
- Tuesdays from 12:00-04:00 pm in the Student Service Center in seminar room 2.101
- Exam will take place on May 13 between 12:30 pm and 02:30 pm
- Registration and information: KLIPS 2.0
Common Law [in English], Joe Finnerty
This course aims to provide you with a detailed introduction to common law as a legal system, including how law can be developed, applied and contested within this system. It addresses a variety of areas: public law, private law, and criminal law. The course encourages comparative reflections on how certain aspects and themes of law differ between common and civil law systems as well as the importance and consequences of any such differences. This provokes a variety of important questions such as: How does this differ from the comparable law/policy in my home jurisdiction?; What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of these variations (from the perspective of lawyers, individuals and judges?); Does common law have a legitimacy deficit?
- Mondays from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Philosophikum in seminar room S69
- Registration and information: KLIPS 2.0.