This two-week applied legal practice course aims to strengthen the professional development of students, who are lawyers and other legal advocates in the field of in mental health and disability rights law from Central and Eastern Europe and further afield. While being an applied course exploring rights in real life, the course will introduce interdisciplinary perspectives from social sciences, politics, social work and clinical sciences.
The four faculty members are all internationally recognized and outstanding scholars and activists in the field. Together, the faculty members have experience of human rights advocacy, teaching and programming in central and eastern Europe, Africa and North America and are sensitive to and knowledgeable about the specific needs and problems of these regions from where the participants will come.
The course uses innovative teaching methods and encourages students to reflect on law in practice, and how lawyers can impact upon policy-making at the domestic level to ensure the implementation of international human rights law. The methods include a site visit to a mental health institution, a site visit to a community-based service for people with mental health disabilities, and interviews with people with mental health disabilities. In the classroom, the methods include group preparations and presentations, practice of courtroom advocacy skills, tutor presentations, discussions, and the course culminates with a moot court.
Period
04-07-2011 - 15-07-2011 (2 weeks)
Target group
This summer school encourages applications from practicing lawyers, activists and academics in the field of mental health and disability rights law from Europe and Africa. Undergraduates without a university degree will not be considered. Pre-requisites: The course is open to persons falling into at least one of the following categories: - qualified attorneys with an interest in the law relating to either disability in general, or mental disability in particular;
- persons with a university degree in law or a law-related discipline who are considering post-graduate academic training in disability law, or in disability rights advocacy;
- non-lawyers with at least one year background of rights-related advocacy for persons with mental disabilities or other disabilities. While it is expected that most students will fall into one of the above categories, the convenors are happy to consider admitting individuals outside these groups, should an appropriate case be made out.
Course aim
The course focuses on the new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - an instrument which entered into force in 2008. Using this piece of law, the course objectives are to heighten students' awareness of the legislative and policy implications of their mental health lawyering, and an awareness of the range of ways they can engage with reforms in their home countries; to advance their skills to effectively represent people with mental health disabilities in courtroom and other settings; to develop students' understanding and knowledge of the issues in such a way as to facilitate further postgraduate study.
Credits
0.0 ECTS creditsThe "Mental Disability Law in Practice" course is offered for professional development for academics and practitioners. Those who wish to obtain credits that count toward their degree should consult their home institution in advance whether the CEU SUN course can be accepted for credit transfer. The CEU Summer University Office will be able to provide all course documentation, such as course description, syllabus, reading list, etc. upon request.
Course fee
EUR 550: Tuition fee (550 EUR) is due by May 28, 2011.The tuition fee includes participation in the summer course, some administrative costs, an orientation program and welcome pack, access to the CEU Library and IT facilities, reading materials, printing quota, and some social activities.
EUR 500: Early Bird fee is available for tuition payment made before April 30, 2011.
Course leader
Oliver Lewis, Executive Director, Mental Disability Advocacy Center (MDAC), Budapest, Hungary
Scholarships
Financial aid is available in the following categories:- tuition waiver- accommodation and stipend- travel grant (full or partial)
Central European University Summer University
Address: 9 Nador Street
Postal code: 1051
City: Budapest
Country: Hungary
Website: http://www.summer.ceu.hu
E-mail: summeru@ceu.hu
Phone: 361 3273811
Mental Disability Law in Practice
