Penn Law Welcomes Iranian Human Rights Scholar

Mehdi Zakerian, 2010-2011 Visiting Professor

Penn Law is honored to welcome Iranian human rights scholar, Dr. Mehdi Zakerian, who will be in residence at the Law School through summer 2011. Dr. Zakerian was originally scheduled to come to Penn in 2008, but was detained by Iranian authorities when he applied for a passport to leave the country.  Dr. Zakerian holds a PhD in international relations from Islamic Azad University and has been an assistant professor there since 1999. A co-founder and editor-in-chief of the International Studies Journal, Dr. Zakerian promotes one of the few forums of academic dialogue in Iran to regularly publish and engage with colleagues from the West. He has collaborated with local and international universities and NGOs to organize conferences at which he has regularly presented papers on international relations and human rights in the Middle East. He will teach a course on International Human Rights Law in Islam: A Case Study of the Middle East (LAW-906) this spring.

First Global Forum at Penn Law a Success

Comparative Perspectives on Healthcare Law and Policy

From October 27-31, faculty and students from the law schools at Tsinghua, Waseda, Goethe University Frankfurt, and University College London traveled to Philadelphia to participate in Penn Law's Global Forum, "Comparative Perspectives on Healthcare Law and Policy". The interactive, interdisciplinary program was held in conjunction with the Law Review's symposium on healthcare law in the United States. Penn Law 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, LLMs and SJDs participated in the program together with students from international law schools and Penn's Bioethics department. As part of the program, students spent several hours meeting with organ transplant professionals at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in preparation for a case exercise in which students considered the legal, ethical, economic and regulatory issues raised by organ transplant. Penn Law is in discussions with the participating schools to plan next year's forum.

Penn Law Events

Talking Human Rights in Geneva: An Eye-Witness Report on the Review Process of the UN Human Rights Council: November 11

Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street, 6:30pm
On November 5, the US was subject to its first-ever Universal Periodic Review before the UN Human Rights Council. At the November 11 event, Professor Sarah Paoletti and two students discussed their experiences presenting the NGO report in Geneva. The program was co-sponsored by the United Nations Association and Penn Law's Transnational Legal Clinic.

Indigenous Community Justice in Argentina: November 11

Levy Conference Center, 12:00pm
Professor Fernando Toller of Austral University in Argentina spoke on "Determining the Legitimacy of the Indigenous Community Justice: An Application of the Principle of Reasonableness." Sponsored by the Latin American Law Students Association.

Symposium: Global Financial Architecture: Sovereignty and International Implications: November 12

Levy Conference Center, 8:30am- 5:00pm
The University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law (JBL) and Journal of International Law (JIL) held their Fall Symposium titled "Global Financial Architecture: Sovereignty and International Implications."  This joint endeavor looked past the recent U.S. legislation on financial reform to address implementation and analyze how, if at all, to reconcile reform efforts across borders to ensure the long-term stability of the global economy. U.S. Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development Marisa Lago delivered the keynote address.

What is National Security?: November 15

National Constitution Center, 6:30pm
In partnership with the National Constitution Center, Penn Law sponsored this two-part series on the challenges of securing our nation without compromising the civil liberties upon which it was founded. The program featured former National Security Advisor and 2010-2011 Visiting Scholar Richard Allen. Facilitating the conversation was Dr. Stanley Ridgley, assistant professor at the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University.

Penn Law Joint Degree and Certificate Fair: November 16

Great Hall, 12:00pm- 2:00pm
Opportunity to learn about the many joint degree and certificate programs offered by Penn Law. Representatives of various departments and schools will be available to discuss their programs and answer questions. Students interested in international opportunities will be able to learn about Penn's double degree programs in Paris and Hong Kong as well as cross-disciplinary programs with the Lauder Institute, the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, the Center for East Asian Studies, and the Middle Eastern Center.

Law and National Security in Israel: November 17

Silverman 240A, 12:15pm
Lunchtime Discussion with Amos Guiora, retired lieutenant colonel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps Israel Defense Forces. Professor Guiora will provide insight into the Israeli legal and security systems and discuss how these systems differ from their American counterparts and their effect on world security. This event is co-sponsored by Penn Law National Security Society and International Law Organization and will be moderated by Professor Deborah Pearlstein.

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

Study Abroad Application Deadline: November 29

2Ls wishing to study abroad during their 3L year should submit their applications to the Office of International Programs by November 29. View the Guidelines on Goat

Lauder Joint Degree Application Deadline: November 29

View Lauder Admissions

Japanese Studies Fellowship Program Deadline: December 1

The Japan Foundation is accepting applications for funding for scholars and researchers involved in Japanese studies in the fields of the humanities and the social sciences to conduct short-term research in Japan. Program Description

AAUW (American Association for University Women) International Fellowship Deadline: December 1

International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not United States citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate study and postgraduate study at accredited institutions are supported. Application details.

Outside the Law School

Sudan at Crossroads: Unity v. Secession: November 11

Houston Hall, 4:30pm
On January 11, the people of South Sudan will vote on a referendum on whether their region will remain part of a united Sudan, or will secede and form an independent country. This forum will explore issues relating to the current situation in Sudan and the ramifications of the referendum results locally, regionally and internationally.

What Makes a Madh'hab?: November 15

Room 401, Fisher-Bennett Hall, 4:30pm
(Madh'hab is a Muslim school of law or fiqh - religious jurisprudence)
Presentation by Dr. Aron Zysow,  a fellow at the Institute for the Transregional Study of the Contemporary Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia at Princeton University. His research interests include the relationship between Islamic legal theory and theology. Sponsored by NELC, RELS, and the Middle East Center.

Law and Society in Late Imperial China: A View Though Judicial Cases: November 18 and 19

303 Trotter Hall, Swarthmore University, 4:30 pm
Professor Pierre-Étienne Will, Collège de France, will deliver two talks. Thursday's will illustrate the many ways the narratives embedded in judgments and testimonies provide a unique access to the everyday life of ordinary Chinese as well as their dealings with the government. Friday's will describe with examples the various formats in which judicial cases were recorded in published (or publishable) form and analyze the sort of professional information they were supposed to convey to all those involved in the administration of justice.

A Blueprint for Africa: Navigating the World's Fastest Growing Continent: November 19-21

Huntsman Hall, 3730 Walnut Street
This year's Wharton Africa Business Forum explores Africa's demographic and economic rise. First hosted in 1981, the Wharton Africa Business Forum was the first Ivy League MBA conference dedicated to Africa. Each year, the conference welcomes hundreds of policy makers, companies operating on the continent, prominent business professionals, investors interested in the region, and leaders of academic thought, with the goal of increasing dialogue on business in Africa. Program Agenda

Race to Judge, Rush to Act: The Sinking of the Cheonan and the Politics of National Insecurity : December 2

Annenberg 111, 4:30 pm
The Korean Studies Colloquium presents a talk about the March 26 2010 sinking of the Republic of Korea Navy corvette. Jae-Jung Shu, associate professor and director of Korean Studies at The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University, will discuss the political implications of South Korea's response to the sinking and how that response was influenced by the United States. South Korea placed blame for the sinking squarely with North Korea, but Shu will discuss whether these accusations were warranted and the possible repercussions if they were not.

Penn Law Travel

In late October Jonathan Klick traveled to Holland to give a talk at the University of Amsterdam's Center for the Study of EU Contract Law. He also spoke at the Erasmus School of Law and to the European Doctoral Program in Law and Economics.

Sarah Paoletti recently returned from Geneva, where she and four Penn Law students acted as observers for Liberia's periodic review before the U.N. Human Rights Council. During the first half of the week, Michal Gilad Gat (LLM'11) and Peter Laumann (L'12) conducted several follow-up meetings to advance the clinic's work on behalf of Liberian refugees in Ghana. Amara Levy-Moore (L'12) and Ezgi Taboglu (LLM'11) then partook in the United States' periodic review before the U.N. Human Rights Council and participated in several side-events, including a Town Hall held by the U.S. governmental delegation.  Read the Penn Current for a Q&A with Professor Paoletti regarding her work on human rights, taken the day before her departure.