The Belo Monte Dam: Social Movements, Law and State Repression
This paper uses Belo Monte dam to examine the ways in which social movement theory reveals and highlights important facets of the Belo Monte dam struggle. I argue that law has an integral meaning in constituting and mobilizing indigenous claims against the government and elite actors, as well as to each other. Moreover, law provides a rights based approach to the injustices recognized not only in federal and international law, but also in the international community. Despite the legal issues and the failures of law, the global social movement struggle against the Belo Monte dam relies on law and rights realization. Additionally, I argue that the movement’s multi-institutional approach, meaning it is not just political and economic, but also cultural, has created a lasting and important example for a multi-institutional approach for other social movements.
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Beyond TRIPS: Questioning the Effectiveness of the Global Intellectual Property Regime
Access to health in the developing world brings together multiple actors, policies, and strategies in a worldwide effort to provide life saving medicine to those who cannot afford it. With income inequality growing on a global scale, now more than ever, strong leadership and decisive action concerning affordable drug pricing and increased accessibility in developing and least developing countries (LDCs) must occur. A significant barrier to positive global health outcomes originates in patent law — the exclusive ownership of life saving drugs.
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Citizenship Rights in Times of Disaster: The Ethics of International Intervention
This paper attempts to look at the forecasted effects of climate change and natural disasters and its relationship to sovereignty, citizenship, international law and ethics. I argue that the current legal framework is inadequate to deal with victims — especially internally displaced people living in developing countries — who are confronted with disastrous climate change and natural disasters.
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The Geographies of Race, Patents and Traditional Knowledge
The evolution of patent law, from its historic beginnings to its current hegemonic state, reveals a dichotomy between patent protection and indigenous appropriation and exploitation. The patent system continues to protect novel inventions — even those with no use — and provides a legitimizing legal facade for the appropriation of traditional knowledges of the uses of plants (TKUP). The alleged theft and exploitation of native plants by corporate institutions and states, which profit from the commercialization of biocultural resources, encourage accusations of ”biopiracy” and ”biocolonialism” from indigenous groups and their supporters.
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Corporate Social Responsibility for the Marginalized: Incorporating Human Rights and Civic Engagement in Business Activities
By exploring practical corporate measures to reach this end, such as CSR, this paper looks to the corporation as a progressive actor in human rights enforcement and protection.
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Sustainable Development and Climate Change Policy: An Environmental Justice Case Study of Belo Monte Dam, Para, Brazil
In this paper, I examine the tension between hydroelectric power development and indigenous rights and ecological integrity. In short, I analyze the environmental consequences, energy and economic benefits, and the domestic and international legal mechanisms that could halt the Belo Monte dam construction. I also explore social movements as a non-legal mechanism to confront the corporate and government sponsored scientific reports and to bring attention to the injustice in Para, Brazil.
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Critique of the WTO and Doha Round Negotiations
This paper examines the weaknesses and holes in the current GATT/WTO scheme and the Doha round negotiations. The paper argues the WTO is an example of neoliberal entrenchment and the negotiations should shift their focus from reducing protectionism to alleviating inequality.
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ICC and Enemy Combatants
This paper examines America’s stance concerning the International Criminal Court and Guantanamo (early 2009).
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Pakistans’ Struggle for Judicial Independence
This paper looks at the controversial legal decision of Chief Justice Chaudhry and General Pervez Musharraf in 2007.
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Legal Opinion Letter – Legal Writing Assignment I
This short paper provides a writing sample from Legal Writing I. This memo offers legal advice to a new client concerning a drunk driving incident.
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Legal Interoffice Memo – Legal Writing Assignment II
This paper provides a detailed analysis of a Title IX, which provides remedies for individuals discriminated against in federally funded educational programs. A fictitious inter-office memo.
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Legal Interoffice Memo – Legal Writing Assignment III
This paper provides a detailed analysis of a strict liability claim. This claim concerns whether a company’s product had a design defect, thereby furnishing a remedy for the client.
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Legal Interoffice Memo – Legal Writing Assignment IV
This paper provides a detailed analysis of a possible knock and announce violation. Knock and announce is a common law rule providing protections to individuals through the fourth amendment (search and seizure).
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Request for Relief – Legal Writing Assignment V
This paper is staged in the request for relief stage of a trial. The relief requested is repressing evidence that may have been obtained during an illegal search.
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Appellate Brief – Legal Writing Assignment VI
This paper is a continuation of the relief requested paper. My client was charged with dealing drugs. This paper covers a Miranda issue and whether the evidence was legally obtained.
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ADR Activism, development and Education
This paper looks into the process of Alternative Dispute Resolution, along with the many factors that have and will contribute to its growth.
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Abortion and Ireland’s Supreme Court
This paper examines Ireland’s Court system and the judicial review power of it’s Supreme Court. Looks at abortion cases to prove the political influence of the Court.
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Al-Qaeda, U.S. and International Law
This paper looks at the instigating reasons behind America’s invasion of Afghanistan. Then looks at the repercussions of the invasion concerning Al-Qaeda and also international law.
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Critical Study of Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon
Looks at a case study of Palestinians in Lebanon and surveys the role of international law in relation to the Palestinians.
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Ihe Iraqi Refugee Crisis
This paper delves into the Iraqi refugee crisis. It also looks into how the U.S. is involved in this crisis and the steps they take to normalize the issue.
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Spaces of Exception and Acceptation
Giorgio Agamben’s Spaces of Exception are areas in which a being lacks basic human rights This paper focuses on this theory as well as imagined geographies of Edward Said. It also looks at recent (2004) Supreme Court decisions and Congressional Legislation (2007) regarding prisoners in Guantanamo and Iraq.
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Legal Brief Genre Analysis
This paper is an English genre analysis of the well known legal brief.
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