Comparative and Foreign Law Commons^™

Indigenous Peoples, Land Grabs In Brazil, And The Fight For Official Recognition, Christian Zavardino

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review (CICLR) Blog

In recent years, the Indigenous peoples of Brazil have fought a host of legal obstacles to maintain sovereignty over their traditional ancestral lands, in large part owing to the policy imperatives of successive presidential administrations and Congresses that have favored agribusiness interests and commercial development of Brazil’s interior regions at the expense of the Indigenous peoples who live in these areas. The Brazilian Constitution of 1988 guarantees Brazil’s Indigenous peoples legal recognition of their ancestral lands via the “land demarcation” or “official land recognition” process, providing that the federal government shall recognize “their original rights to the lands they traditionally …

‘Resisting’ While Collaboratively Informing In Communist Czechoslovakia, Mark A. Drumbl, Barbora Holá

Scholarly Articles

Informers in the service of state secret police collaborate with authorities and thus contribute to the power of repressive regimes. Through a case-study of Communist Czechoslovakia (1945–1989)—and drawing from secret police archives– this article presents selected stories of informers who in one way or another also ‘resisted’ collaboration with the Czechoslovak State Security (StB). By doing so, we try to further complexify the notions of ’everyday resistance’, on the one hand, and ‘collaboration’ on the other. We demonstrate that resistant acts, similar to collaborative acts, can be apolitically devoid of ideology, highly idiosyncratic, and motivated by private drivers. Informing can …

La Cour! La Mer!, Mark A. Drumbl

Scholarly Articles

The presence of courts—la Cour, certainement, mais d’autres aussi—weaves and wends throughout The Last Colony. Fundamentally, this is a story of courts (tribunals, arbitrations, etc.) righting wrongs or, in the least, setting a tune for wrongrighting to which political institutions then can hum along. Philippe Sands evokes the solemnity of legalism with the ‘La Cour!’ greeting, which he plays and replays, and with which he begins his book. These are welcoming words, for Sands, and also welcoming words for law, insofar as they signal the opening of the International Court of Justice (ICJ)—La Cour!—for the …

Comparative Study Of Bystander Liability In The U.S. & The Iranian Legal Systems, Abbas Mirshekari, Zahra Takhshid, Mona Abdi

Sturm College of Law: Faculty Scholarship

Imagine that A has witnessed an incident in which B injures or kills C. It is undoubtedly painful to witness, but does it also follow that one can recover damages for suffering emotional distress as the result of witnessing the accident? The recognition of the tort of negligent infliction of emotional harm, also known as NIED, has been one of the ways that tort law has attempted to provide a remedy for the emotionally injured. Nevertheless, the relatively new tort has raised many questions. In the U.S. legal system, different criteria have been proposed over the years to allow for …

Achieving Effective Procurement During A Global Crisis: A Study Of The Uncitral Model Law On Public Procurement And The Wto Agreement On Government Procurement, Dmitri Goubarkov

American University International Law Review

The global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for public procurement systems around the world. Governments everywhere faced an immense pressure to facilitate the rapid procurement of supplies and services needed to support overburdened health and social care systems. Speed and flexibility were needed to address the shortages of protective personal equipment, distribution of ventilators, and increased demand for medications, all of which required governments to forego traditional public procurement methods. Governments had to balance the underlying principles of their procurement systems—namely, competition, integrity, and transparency—against urgency, and do so in a way that does not erode public …

A Dam Over Troubled Waters? The Obligation To Negotiate In Good Faith In Annex "C" Of The Treaty Of Itaipu, Rene Figueredo Corrales

American University International Law Review

The year 2023 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty of Itaipú (“the Treaty”). According to paragraph VI of the Treaty, its provisions are to be reviewed after fifty years have elapsed from the date the Treaty entered into force. In October 2021, João Francisco Ferreira, the former Brazilian representative of the Itaipú binational entity, stated in a press conference what seemed to be a new interpretation of the review provision contained in Annex “C” of the Treaty of Itaipú. He noted that there is no obligation to negotiate Annex “C” if an agreement is …

Henderson And The Objective Observer Standard: The Future Of Race-Conscious Standards Post-Students For Fair Admissions, Gabriela Dionisio

Seattle University Law Review

On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States decided Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, which struck down race-conscious admissions policies. Within just a year after its ruling, Students for Fair Admissions has already had a sweeping impact, reaching beyond higher education. Although the Supreme Court did not indicate whether Students for Fair Admissions applies to sectors beyond higher education, law firms, and other employers have already modified their diversity policies and initiatives, erasing race and company diversity considerations. Given those dramatic changes, there is growing fear that Students for Fair Admissions …

Same Crime, Different Time: Sentencing Disparities In The Deep South & A Path Forward Under The Fourteenth Amendment, Hailey M. Donovan

Seattle University Law Review

The United States has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world. The American obsession with crime and punishment can be tracked over the last half-century, as the nation’s incarceration rate has risen astronomically. Since 1970, the number of incarcerated people in the United States has increased more than sevenfold to over 2.3 million, outpacing both crime and population growth considerably. While the rise itself is undoubtedly bleak, a more troubling truth lies just below the surface. Not all states contribute equally to American mass incarceration. Rather, states have vastly different incarceration rates. Unlike at the federal level, …

Deconstructing Concepts About Nature: An Alternative Perspective For Ecofeminism Based On The Rights Of Nature, Leslie Terrones

PEEL Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Regulating Dark Patterns, Martin Brenncke

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Democracy And “Elite” Education: Lessons From Another Corner Of The World, J. Mark Ramseyer, Yoshitaka Fukui

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Victims’ Participation In An Era Of Multi-Door Criminal Justice, Béatrice Coscas-Williams, Hadar Dancig-Rosenberg, Michal Alberstein

Connecticut Law Review

Victims’ right to participate in their cases—to hear and be heard—has gained formal recognition in both common law and continental legal cultures over the past two decades. Paradoxically, even as victims’ rights are acknowledged, their participation in the judicial process is increasingly circumscribed due to the proliferation of abbreviated and efficiency oriented judicial procedures. Focusing on this paradox, this Article uncovers and analyzes the level of victims’ participation in an era of convergence and transformation of legal cultures and traditions. By exploring new ways to conceptualize the role of victims within contemporary criminal legal systems, this Article explores various and …

An Icy Invasion: Russia's Seizure Of The Norwegian Waters In The Arctic, Margaret Turchinski

American University International Law Review

Russia is aiming to expand its power in the Arctic Circle by acquiring unrestricted access to hydrocarbon reserves off the coast of the Norwegian Archipelago of Svalbard. Two bodies of international law govern Svalbard. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 ascertains Norway’s sovereignty over the archipelago and permits the signatory nations, including Russia, to conduct commercial activities on the land and in the “territorial waters”. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea establishes maritime zones that allow coastal states to claim exclusive rights to their territorial seas and continental shelf. Norway holds that “territorial waters” in the Svalbard …

Where Custom Dictates: A Comparison Of The Integration Of Customary Law In Nigeria And South Africa As Applicable To Custody And Family Law Dispute, Madelyn Cameron

Emory International Law Review

No abstract provided.

I Want A New (Generic) Drug: A Comparative Case For Shifting U.S. Generic Drug Policies To Increase Availability And Lower Healthcare Costs, Immer S. Chriswell

Northwestern Journal of International Law & Business

Enacted in 1984, Hatch-Waxman was intended to increase generic drug availability and make critical healthcare more affordable for Americans. In the nearly forty years following, while it has increased availability of drugs, it has also allowed drug originators to create avenues to profit in ways not intended when the original compromise was struck, undermining its success. Moreover, given a weak antitrust standard against reverse settlement payments proscribed in Actavis, the U.S. faces a dilemma to further improve access to generic medications in the future. The E.U.’s approach to generic drugs, while presently geographically fragmented, is simpler and has a clear …

The Legal Origins Of Russian Membership In The Council Of Europe And The Seeds Of Russia's Expulsion, Jeffrey Kahn

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Don't Call It 'Privacy': Data Protection, From Ideas To Constitutional Law, Raphaël Beauregard-Lacroix

SJD Dissertations

Data protection law has been subject to various criticisms, among which is one of a fundamental kind: devoted to procedures, it lost sight of its privacy-bound origins. This dissertation aims to provide a novel historical and comparative account of the transatlantic development of data protection law, from the origins to this day, identifying how it may yet succeed in reaching the policy goals its original proponents imagined, and untangling key legal concepts along the way.

The regulatory concept of data protection was founded on three basic principles: purpose limitation, universality, and institutional supervision and enforcement. These three principles trace their …

Offshore Wind: A Comparative Of The United States And Norway

Fordham Environmental Law Review

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Human Right To Water And Sanitation In International Law And The Conflict In The Nile Basin

Fordham Environmental Law Review

Ethiopia’s construction and operation of the Grand Ethiopian

Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile has intensified the long-

standing water conflict involving Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan, and

highlights the urgent need for a new legal framework for the Nile

Basin’s governance. This article traces the history of the international

human right to water and sanitation and previous attempts to govern

water use in the Nile Basin. We argue that outdated colonial-era

treaties, which Egypt and Sudan insist on using as a baseline for

negotiations, are a significant obstacle to resolving the Nile conflict

and managing the region’s water resources …

Debts And Desertion: Bankruptcy Law And The Orphan Well Crisis

Fordham Environmental Law Review

The issue of orphan wells—unplugged and unproductive oil and

gas wells with no responsible operator—poses a significant

environmental and public health threat in the United States. The scale

of this crisis is alarming: there are over 120,000 documented orphan

wells and potentially millions more undocumented. These wells are

often significant sources of methane emissions and other toxins that

exacerbate climate change and endanger the health of surrounding

communities. This paper examines the orphan well crisis, exploring

how wells become orphaned and the environmental and health

impacts associated with them. Furthermore, it delves into how the

situation is likely to worsen …

Slavery Still Exists And May Have Produced Your Hairdryer, Katherine Pratty

American University International Law Review

In 2020, the International Labour Organization (“ILO”) estimated that forced labor generated $51 billion USD. Many profiteers are not individual bad actors, but rather, corporations. Recently it came to light that one corporate profiteer is the multinational technology manufacturing company, creator of the most awarded hair care device in 2021: Dyson Limited. While Dyson has received praise for its products, Malaysia charged Dyson’s main production factory, ATA IMS, with labor law violations. Shortly thereafter, in February 2022, UK law firm Leigh Day publicly announced its suit against Dyson on behalf of the workers in Dyson’s Malaysia factory.

This Comment analyzes …

Corn War: A Trade Fight Between The United States And Mexico, Ernesto Hernández-López

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

An international fight grows over corn. The United States claims that México’s ban on genetically modified (GMO) corn violates the United StatesMexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). México prohibits GMO corn for human consumption. American arguments focus on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, covered in Chapter 9 of the USMCA. A trade panel will review these.

This Essay first describes SPS arguments and relevant trade rules. The United States’ complaints emphasize that México’s ban is excessive, is not consistent with international standards, and mishandles risks. Second, the Essay identifies the obstacles American positions face: weak mandates and deference to México. Chapter 9 of …

Comparative Analysis Of Prosecutor-Led Diversion Programs: Insights To Japan’S Suspension Of Prosecution For Recidivism Prevention, Mio Hagino

LL.M. Essays & Theses

Around 60% of all crimes in Japan are committed by repeat offenders, and therefore preventing recidivism is a central concern in Japan. Recognizing the importance of early intervention, some prosecutors’ offices collaborate with social workers and provide necessary measures for recidivism prevention when prosecution is suspended. To promote prosecutor-led recidivism prevention, there is an ongoing discussion to legislate the approach currently taken by prosecutors’ offices. However, concerns remain about procedural fairness, transparency of prosecutorial discretion, and collaboration with other agencies. In the United States, prosecutor-led diversion programs are adopted in many states, with ongoing research on their effectiveness and challenges. …

Fair Use V. Free Use: A Comparative Study Of American And Russian Copyright Exemptions, Eduard Bershitskiy

LL.M. Essays & Theses

Many U.S. lawyers are under the well-deserved, but still not entirely accurate, impression that copyright infringement in Russia is a huge free-for-all. This comparative paper, which juxtaposes Russian and American copyright exemptions, seeks to partially refute that skeptic view by showing that, in fact, Russian copyright law has developed a relatively coherent system of exceptions and limitations to exclusive rights. This paper begins with a brief overview of Russian copyright law and general remarks on its exemptions. It then focuses on statutory and, where appropriate, case-law comparison of particular copyright exemptions in the Part 4 of the Russian Civil Code …

Regulatory Choices And Legal Disputes In The Fight Against Covid-19 Infections In The Workplace, Susan Bisom-Rapp, Marco Peruzzi

Faculty Scholarship

This is a comparative study of two countries’ legal and policy actions to stem the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, focusing on Italy and the United States (US). Both nations sustained great loss of life and high infection rates during the first years of the pandemic. This chapter examines how Italy and the US approached COVID-19 vaccine mandates for workers. Of particular interest are the regulatory choices made, including the choice not to regulate, and the consequences of those choices on the employment relationship. Additionally revealing are the legal grounds upon which regulatory actions were challenged, and how courts …

Human Trafficking In The United Arab Emirates: Analyzing The Challenges And Efforts Towards Eradication, Gianna M. Bilotta

Undergraduate Projects

This paper describes the human trafficking issue within the UAE (United Arab Emigrates).

Rethinking Crime And Punishment: Women Who Kill Their Abusers In South Africa, Rebecca Gore

Michigan Journal of Gender & Law

The battered women’s movement in the United States was galvanized in the 1970s and ushered in a paradigm shift in how we understand domestic violence. For women who kill their abusers, the movement attempted to incorporate their lived experiences of domestic violence into legal doctrine. Decades later, the battered women’s movement has generated criticisms such as stereotyping women, failing to take an intersectional lens, and over-reliance on the carceral system. These lessons from feminists in the United States present cautionary tales for other contexts, especially for unequal societies impacted by domestic violence, crime, and mass incarceration. Prompted by personal experiences …

Public Primacy In Corporate Law, Dorothy S. Lund

Seattle University Law Review

This Article explores the malleability of agency theory by showing that it could be used to justify a “public primacy” standard for corporate law that would direct fiduciaries to promote the value of the corporation for the benefit of the public. Employing agency theory to describe the relationship between corporate management and the broader public sheds light on aspects of firm behavior, as well as the nature of state contracting with corporations. It also provides a lodestar for a possible future evolution of corporate law and governance: minimize the agency costs created by the divergence of interests between management and …

Robo-Voting: Does Delegated Proxy Voting Pose A Challenge For Shareholder Democracy?, John Matsusaka, Chong Shu

Seattle University Law Review

Robo-voting is the practice by an investment fund of mechanically voting in corporate elections according to the advice of its proxy advisor— in effect fully delegating its voting decision to its advisor. We examined over 65 million votes cast during the period 2008–2021 by 14,582 mutual funds to describe and quantify the prevalence of robo-voting. Overall, 33% of mutual funds robo-voted in 2021: 22% with ISS, 4% with Glass Lewis, and six percent with the recommendations of the issuer’s management. The fraction of funds that robo-voted increased until around 2013 and then stabilized at the current level. Despite the sizable …

The Limits Of Corporate Governance, Cathy Hwang, Emily Winston

Seattle University Law Review

What is the purpose of the corporation? For decades, the answer was clear: to put shareholders’ interests first. In many cases, this theory of shareholder primacy also became synonymous with the imperative to maximize shareholder wealth. In the world where shareholder primacy was a north star, courts, scholars, and policymakers had relatively little to fight about: most debates were minor skirmishes about exactly how to maximize shareholder wealth.

Part I of this Essay discusses the shortcomings of shareholder primacy and stakeholder governance, arguing that neither of these modes of governance provides an adequate framework for incentivizing corporations to do good. …