ILRIC 6344

International Labor Law

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2020-2021.

This course examines international labor law in a world economy that is currently struggling to recover from COVID-19. Even before the pandemic, international labor law was strife with tensions. The International Labor Organization (ILO) is the organization mandated to design and supervise international labor rights; yet, governments have plucked some of those rights out of the ILO system of governance and have dropped them into their own legal instruments, including their bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that are backed with economic sanctions. In addition, other United Nations (UN) human rights agencies risk clashing with the ILO, given the intersection between their human rights and the ILO's fundamental labor rights. As governments and various UN agencies assign their own meanings and sanctions to international labor law, we are left to question the ILO's contemporary role and purpose in the world of work. Against the backdrop of sharp competition among countries and firms, global pandemic, and mandate creeps, our readings and discussions will discuss the complex fragmentation of international labor law and human rights. We will also examine the unique challenges confronting women, migrant workers, domestic workers, and LGBQT+ workers. A prior course in a related topic may be helpful but is not required.

When Offered Fall.

Course Attribute (CU-ITL)

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