Public Lecture with Prof Blerim Reka of SEEU - Geopolitics of the Balkans -- at USFSP

It was a privilege to introduce Amb. Prof. Dr. Reka to our campus at the public lecture

We were honored to have Prof. Blerim Reka of SEEU deliver a public lecture when he was on campus for the Signing Ceremony of the MOU between SEEU and USFSP:

Geopolitics of the Balkans: Between the West and Russia

(for more see https://www.usfsp.edu/home/2018/03/26/geopolitics-of-the-balkans/ )


This event also provided a second opportunity for students in my Constitutional Law class - who had partnered with his students at SEEU - to share their research posters (comparing and contrasting decisions of  the European Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of the United States on similar legal questions).

For more about SEEU, South East European University in Macedonia see  https://www.seeu.edu.mk/

Students were able to share their research posters with Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Funke Fontenot (also a legal scholar).  Here is Erica Rodriguez with her award-winning poster about access to abortion

and I was able to introduce my Constitutional Law students to Judge Raymond Gross, who attended the lecture

3 of the research posters were awarded certificates at the USFSP Student Research Symposium -- here is Adam Rubin,with his poster about age discrimination

Research Symposium -- USFSP Undergraduate Research Symposium -- US Embassy American Corner Skopje -- USFSP - SEEU Joint Research Project

On April 17, USFSP hosted its 15th Annual Student Research Symposium, co-sponsored by the USFSP Office of Research, USFSP Honors Program, and the USFSP Department of Psychology.

Students in my USFSP US Constitutional Law 2: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties class presented their research posters in person -- joined by their colleagues at SEEU who participated in the research conference via Skype, joining us from the US Embassy's American Corner in Skopje.

We had a big screen set up at the end of our row in the University Student Center Ballroom -- but ended up using my laptop so that we could travel from poster to poster with our colleagues who were with us from Skopje.

More about the specific research projects elsewhere on this blog. For now, let me just say that I was especially proud of the 3 groups that were awarded certificates for their outstanding research posters:

"Reproductive Freedom and Access to Abortion under the ECHR and the Bill of Rights," by Annie Filkowski and Erica Rodriguez (USFSP) in cooperation with Rea Purini (SEEU)

"Euthanasia and the ECHR and the Bill of Rights," by Sabrina Leavell (USFSP) in cooperation with Ajnur Bekiri and Kushtrim Darlista (SEEU)

"Age Discrimination and the ECHR and the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause: How the West Protects its Elders," by Adam Rubin (USFSP)

Also joining us were the students in my Women and the Law class -- who had a 2nd opportunity to present their research posters. The first time was at our International Women's Day event with guest speaker from UKIM in Skopje -- Prof. Karolina Ristova-Aasterud. See this post for more about those research posters: http://jainmacedonia.blogspot.com/2018/04/usfsp-womens-herstory-month-event_5.html

For more about the American Corner in Skopje, see https://mk.usembassy.gov/education-culture/american-corner-skopje/

For more about SEEU, South East European University in Macedonia, see https://www.seeu.edu.mk/

Group picture -- with USFSP and SEEU students (on my laptop)

Students also had the opportunity to share their research findings with our USFSP Chancellor, Dr. Martin Tadlock

Thanks so much Krenar, for all your help with the arrangements at American Corner Skopje!! (pictured on my laptop screen)

USFSP Regional Chancellor Martin Tadlock stops by to learn more about the student research

Guest Lecture -- Prof Blerim Reka from SEEU -- on campus at USFSP

We have been working with our colleagues from SEEU all semester, meeting via Skype and other technology (email, facebook group, etc.).  But this semester we had the privilege of welcoming our partner from SEEU -- Ambassador Prof. Dr. Blerim Reka -- in person, when he was on campus for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between USFSP and SEEU.

Here are some pictures from his guest lecture in my US Constitutional Law 2: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties class:  "Human Rights Protection in Europe and in the Republic of Macedonia: A Comparative Approach."

For more about SEEU, South East European University, in Macedonia, see https://www.seeu.edu.mk/

USFSP - SEEU Joint Research Project -- Comparing the ECtHR and the SCOTUS -- Research Topics

During the Spring 2018 semester, my US Constitutional Law 2 (Civil Liberties and Civil Rights) class partnered with law students of Prof. Blerim Reka at SEEU in Skopje (students I had the pleasure of working with when I was teaching at SEEU as a Fulbright Scholar during the Spring 2017 semester)

Our students worked together on comparative legal research projects, comparing and contrasting decisions of the ECtHr with decisions of SCOTUS on similar legal questions.  The students were divided into 7 groups:

Group 1:

"Reproductive Rights and Access to Abortion under the ECHR and the Bill of Rights"
Annie Filkowski and Erica Rodriguez (USFSP) and Rea Purini (SEEU)

Group 2:

"Freedom of Expression: Article 10 of the ECHR and the First Amendment"
William Spruill and Thomas Ryan (USFSP) and Kreshnik Reka and Azra Rexhepi (SEEU)

Group 3:

"Euthanasia and the ECHR and the Bill of Rights"
 Sabrina Leavell (USFSP) and Ajnur Bekiri and Kushtrim Darlishta (SEEU)

Group 4:

"Religious Freedom (Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia) under the ECHR and the Bill of Rights"
 Paola Stay (USFSP) and Alban Shuki, Habib Krasniqi, Ibrahim Ajvasi (SEEU)

Group 5:

"Cruel and Unusual Punishment"
 Nicholas Hardwick and Parker Mattern (USFSP)

Group 6:

"Age Discrimination and the ECHR and the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause"
Adam Rubin (USFSP) and Nelton Mustafa (SEEU)

Group 7:

"The Right to Legal Counsel under the ECHR and the Bill of Riights"
Steven Marshall (USFSP)

Our first skype videoconference -- February 21, 2018 -- SEEU-USFSP Collaboration

Students at SEEU stayed late after class, and students from USFSP arrived early before class, in order to make the 6 hour time difference and class schedules work together.

Our objective for this first meeting was to introduce our partner -- Prof. Dr. Blerim Reka and his students from SEEU with Prof. Dr. Judithanne McLauchlan's students from USFSP.  Prof. Reka also delivered an introductory lecture about the European Convention of Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights, and Prof. McLauchlan introduced the Supreme Court of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

For more about SEEU, see https://www.seeu.edu.mk/

Getting Started
 

I was so happy to see the smiling faces of my former SEEU students! And to be working again with Prof. Reka

Since I was asking my students to come in early, I brought a "Box of Joe" and other snacks

Our Intro Lectures. Prof Reka provided an overview of the ECHR and ECtHR, and Prof. McLauchlan provided an overview of SCOTUS and the Bill of Rights. Students were able to ask questions.

 

The SEEU Students Introduce themselves

The USFSP Students Introduce themselves

Group Picture!