University of Geneva

This course introduces the analysis of the foundations of public order from the perspective of analytical political theory. This basis provides the conceptual tools for approaching a central issue in political theory: the justification of political obligation and contestation. The study of the justification of public institutions reviews some of the key approaches in political philosophy (deontology; consequentialism) and analytical political theories (contractualism; utilitarianism). The course addresses questions of moral right to command and a moral duty to obey; whether individual autonomy and political authority are compatible; whether voluntarily accepting an obligation is to be bound by it; why must we obey the laws even if the personal costs of obedience are very high; whether we are ever morally justified in disobeying unjust laws; and if exemptions from the law for reasons of conscience can ever be justified.

This course explores the social, cultural, and political history of the global Cold War through the lens of forced migrations and humanitarian aid. While traditional Cold War narratives perpetuate images of refugees fleeing from Eastern Europe to the West, the course challenges this clear-cut dichotomy. It expands the geographical range of forced displacement to include emergencies in the Global South by paying attention to entanglements across and within different regions. It studies major organizations like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees across other agents, such as non-governmental organizations, regional, and national institutions. It takes into consideration refugees' agencies, trajectories, and cultural production. It then situates refugees within local communities, stressing the challenges and the opportunities of integration. Sessions are organized through a combination of lectures, discussions of primary and secondary sources, and students' presentations.

This is an advanced level C2 French course focused on perfecting grammar, writing, vocabulary, and oral expression. The course covers understanding and analyzing texts (news articles, scientific literature, literary excepts), speaking skills (debate, presentations), and writing (synthesis, supporting arguments, literary expression). 

The protection of the global environment has become one of the major challenges of the international system. This course explores the main concepts and principles of international environmental law. It examines how international environmental law has emerged and developed, in particular by emphasizing the role and contribution of international courts and tribunals. The course also deals specifically with the legal regimes that have been shaped in order to preserve the global environment in different fields. With the emergence of the concept of sustainable development, international environmental law is now at the crossroads of different regimes. In this context, the course analyzes the relationship between international environmental law and international trade and/or investment law as well as the relationship between international environmental law and human rights.

This course is intended for students who have already completed one semester of French. It covers the language and communication skills required for level A1. The five skills (listening and reading comprehension, speaking and writing, and interaction) are covered, but the focus is on oral skills (comprehension, production, and interaction). Different types of documents are used, allowing for a variety of discourse types and the discovery of different structures of the language.