LAW-9117 Disability Rights in a Comparative Context
This course will explore the fairly recent evolution of disability rights in international law ushered in widespread adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The course will have a special focus on legal decision-making and autonomy of persons with disabilities. The course will begin with a brief examination of the key legal, social, and political constructs that define mental health and disability law in the U.S. and internationally. The course will then explore how the U.S. legal system - as compared to the Convention and Irish Law - define and treats autonomy and decision-making in the context of disability. Topics will include adult guardianships and its alternatives, legal planning tools, forced or coerced treatment, and civil commitment. Additional topics may be explored, depending on the expertise and interests of Irish experts and guest lecturers. This course will involve a combination of lectures from the Professor, group discussions, and guest lectures from Irish scholars and lawyers to provide a comparative Irish perspective. Students will visit and speak with local disability advocates and providers. Students will be assessed based on class attendance and participation, participation in the field trip, and a take home examination to be completed after the conclusion of the course. The course will meet 5 times over two weeks during the Galway Study Abroad program, for two hours per meeting, plus one field trip. The meeting schedule may need to be adjusted depending on guest lecturers and field trips.