Course Details

Business and Human Rights

This course examines the human rights obligations of corporate actors in global supply chains, focusing on relevant domestic and international legal standards. Historically, human rights advocates viewed states as the primary actors holding human rights obligations. The human rights framework has expanded over the past several decades to include non-state actors, including illegal armed groups, private security, and corporations. National and multinational companies have been named in numerous lawsuits and campaigns, citing their contribution to human rights harms in their operations across the globe. The class will focus on domestic litigation, non-judicial grievance mechanisms, the development of soft law standards like the UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights, and innovations in supply chain contracting, among strategies used to improve human rights compliance in global business operations. Students will be evaluated on short presentations, participation, and a 15-page paper.

Catalog Number: CONPUB 707
Practice Areas: Business, Corporate,Trans Area ,  International Law Practice Area
Additional Course Information: IHR Elective (JDIHR & LLM-IHR)

---

Course History

Spring 2025
Title: Business and Human Rights
Faculty: Ryerson, Charity
Section: 1     Credits: 2.0
Capacity: 25     Actual: 10

Spring 2024
Title: Business and Human Rights
Faculty: Ryerson, Charity
Section: 1     Credits: 2.0
Capacity: 25     Actual: 17

Spring 2023
Title: Business and Human Rights
Faculty: Ryerson, Charity
Section: 1     Credits: 2.0
Capacity: 25     Actual: 19