Syllabus　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Ritumeikan University, college of International Relations

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Course Outline and Method　

This seminar aims to develop students’ original ideas on the issues of international law and justice, especially in the following fields:

• International Criminal Justice

• International Humanitarian, Human Rights, Criminal Law

• Peace, justice, and conflict

To achieve this, the seminar supports students to participate in extra-curricular activities:

• The International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition (http://iccmoot.com/)

• The International Humanitarian Law Moot Court and Role Play Competition (https://jp.icrc.org/information/ihl-competitions-report-2021/)

• Asia Cup (https://asiacup.sakura.ne.jp/)

• Zemi Research Convention

• Joint Moot Court Competition with Asia Pacific University

• Graduation Thesis Presentation Session with Asia Pacific University

 

Attainment Objectives　

(1)  Legal/logical thinking

Students will acquire:

(i) technics of research design, data collection and data analysis.

(ii) deep understanding of the functions of theories and norms.

(iii) skills to find research problems and questions based on careful literature review.

(2)  Legal/logical presentation

Students will become able to:

(i) conduct their own research.

(ii) effectively use technical terms of international law and justice.

(iii) demonstrate skills of practical/academic writing and presentation.​

 

Seminar Management Method　

This seminar is managed in the following schedule:

1st semester:

• Literature reviews of the two articles of the instructor’s selection

• 1st term paper (literature review)

2nd semester: 

• Literature reviews of the two articles of the student’s selection

• 2nd term paper (literature review and research question)

3rd semester:

• Research progress presentation

• 3rd term paper (Research question and structure)

4th semester:

• Graduation Thesis Presentation

• 4th term paper (thesis)

 

Recommendations for Private Study　

• Do a brainstorming and research to select your research topic(s) that you feel the most important.

 

​​Examples of Past Graduation Research (Graduation Thesis) Titles

• “Searching for Reconciliation: The Prospects of Transformative Justice in Afghanistan”

• “Universalizing the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: A step up from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons”

• “Saving Future Generations: The Application of Human Rights Standards to the International Legal Climate Framework”

 

Instructor Information　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Specialized field

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International Criminal Justice (International Law, International Organizations, Peace and Conflict Studies)

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Profile

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Megumi Ochi

• is Associate Professor of the Graduate School of International Relations and College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University;

• obtained Ph.D. in Law, Osaka University, Japan; LL.M. (Public International Law), Leiden University, the Netherlands; M.A. (International Public Policy), Osaka University, Japan; and B.A. (Language and Cultural Studies), Osaka University, Japan;

• had worked at Kyoto University (assistant professor/Hakubi researcher and Research Fellow of the JSPS (SPD)) and at Hyogo Earthquake Memorial 21st century Research Institute (senior researcher);

• interned at the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court, The Hague, the Netherlands: and

• is a member of the Committee of the Young Penalist (International Association of Penal Law), and senior fellow of the Case Matrix Network (CMN).

 

Achievements

(see the database for details: https://research-db.ritsumei.ac.jp/rithp/k03/resid/S001750;jsessionid=E8E21769AC7113D19F4001ED7BE0921F?lang=en)

 

Books:

• Barbosa, Renata, Francesco Mazzacuva, and Megumi Ochi, eds. (2022). Contemporary Challenges and Alternatives to International Criminal Justice. Maklu.

• Ochi, Megumi (2020). The System of International Procedural Criminal Law: The Premise Theory and the Principle of Ne Bis In Idem. Shinzansya, (in Japanese).

 

Selected Articles:

• Ochi, Megumi (2021). “General Principles of Law for Internal and Inter-jurisdictional Issues: The Two Faces of Ne Bis In Idem”. Ritsumeikan Annual Review of International Studies, 20, pp. 57-76.

• Ochi, Megumi (2021). “Large-Scale Environmental Destruction by Corporate Activity as A Core International Crime,” International Review of Penal Law, 91 (2), pp.375-400

• Ochi, Megumi and Saori Matsuyama (2019). “Ethnic Conflicts in Myanmar: The Application of Law on Non-International Armed Conflict,” in Suzannah Linton, Tim McCormack & Sandesh Sivakumaran (eds), Asia Pacific Perspectives on International Humanitarian Law, Cambridge University Press, pp. 338-355.

• Ochi, Megumi (2018). “Amnesty and the Exception of ne bis in idem in International Criminal Justice ―Reflecting the Concretization of ‘Combating Impunity’―,” International Public Policy Studies, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 75-96 (in Japanese).

• Ochi, Megumi (2018). “Priority and Conflict concerning the Obligations to Extradite for International Crimes,” Law Review of Kansai University, Vol. 68, No. 5, pp. 75-96 (in Japanese).

• Ochi, Megumi (2016). “Gravity Threshold before the International Criminal Court: An Overview of the Court's Practice,” ICD Brief 19, pp. 1-16.

• Ochi, Megumi (2013). “Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) in the UN-led Peacekeeping Operations: The UN’s Role as an Employer and Regulator,” International Public Policy Studies, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 95-111.

 

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