College Preparation Program IN FOCUS Seminars (Session 3) - Crime, Crisis, and Genocide: Global Justice in the 21st Century

As we have seen in recent years, international courts of justice have risen to the forefront of global response to genocides, civil wars and other crises which involve mass killings. From trying Nazis to the fomenters of the genocide in Rwanda, we watch government officials and ordinary people stand on trial charged with crimes against humanity. Students in this seminar will tackle recurring questions which arise before and during these trials. Where was the rest of the world while these killings occurred? What laws were broken? What are the standards of criminality and when does global justice take precedence over national sovereignty? We begin with the origins of the law against genocide as well as the historical and philosophical roots of the principle of sovereignty. We will examine the cases of Rwanda and either Darfur or Syria; how these crises began and how they were fueled (both internally and through international action and neglect). Our findings will address whether the decision to try killers is easier than the decision to intervene in an effort to stop the killing. We will consider the advantages and disadvantages of the overall policy that the United Nations seeks to enact called “The Responsibility to Protect” or R2P. This seminar is appropriate for high school students who are interested in humanitarian issues, comparative history, Africa, or trans-national justice. No previous knowledge of any of these issues is required — just passion. IN FOCUS Seminars are designed to expose students to top Northwestern faculty highlighting themes relevant today. They do not have the time commitment or cost of a college credit course. These two-week noncredit seminars are structured like a college seminar course. Faculty will lead the seminar through discussion, readings and study, enabling a rich learning experience. Only College Prep students are able to enroll in the seminars, which will appear on your official Northwestern University transcript upon successful completion. If you wish to request credit at your high school for a seminar, discuss this with your counselor ahead of time since the acceptance of credit depends on your school's policy. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and have completed their sophomore or junior year of high school by the commencement of the program. The application process includes an online application, personal statement, list of extracurricular activities, transcript, letter of recommendation, and $60 application fee. The application review period begins January 22, 2018. After this date, you can expect to receive an admissions decision by email approximately two weeks after your complete application is submitted online and all application materials are received in the College Prep Program office. Admissions is on a rolling basis. Once admitted students secure their space in the program by submitting their program deposit fee. Please note that admission to the program does not guarantee enrollment. Tuition for this program is $2,000. There is a $500 program fee and a $927 room and board fee.