International Water Law Seminar

Limit 10 students

This two-credit seminar will consider the basic concepts of international law relating to the uses of freshwater resources (both surface and ground water). The course will address the exploitation, management, and conservation of domestic and transboundary water resources; consider issues of ownership, sovereignty, and rights to water; and delve into the ethics, human and environmental aspects of water. Throughout the course, the work of United Nations and other international organizations will be assessed and case studies will be incorporated into class discussions and assignments to address such topics as: availability, distribution, and scarcity of global freshwater; rights to and sovereignty over natural resources; conflict, conflict resolution, and dispute prevention; the ethics of water; human rights; water and the environment; and development, exploitation, and conservation of transboundary freshwater resources.

Grades will be based on class participation, class exercises and presentations and a 25+ page paper on a topic selected with professor approval. Additional information about the papers will be available later.

This seminar will be taught in conjunction with Texas Tech’s School of Law using a video conferencing link.

Students must have completed one of the following classes as a prerequisite: Public International Law; International Environmental Law or Water Law.

The American Bar Association accreditation standards require students to regularly attend the courses in which they are registered. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and to prepare for classes conscientiously. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. Any attendance guidelines for a given class must be provided to students in a syllabus or other written document at the start of the semester. Sanctions (e.g., required withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment, and/or a failing grade) will be imposed for poor attendance.