Courses

    This seminar explores important legal and "constitutional" subjects concerning international economic activity, mostly focusing on the World Trade Organization (WTO), with special attention to its powerful dispute settlement system (DSS). The goal of the seminar is to develop a fundamental understanding of the WTO DSS procedures and the extensive and intricate jurisprudence which has been developed in little more than its twelve year existence. Attention will be directed to how the WTO DSS principles and rules affect and influence the way diplomacy and policy making concern major problems of international economic relations in the current globalized environment, including the financial crisis and climate change issues. Problems to be discussed include questions of allocation of power among international and national governmental institutions. Also relevant are structures of economic "regulation" at the international level, and how the international economic institutions and their rules may need to be improved. Some specific cases may be taken up such as the Banana Case, the Beef Hormones Case, the Shrimp-Turtle Case, and the US-Gambling case.

The seminar is privileged to have distinguished co-teachers with extensive government and private sector experience. Various other invited experts will visit the seminar for discussion of these and other related problems.

Students are required to write a paper relevant to the materials discussed.