In this thesis I explore the implications of the extension of 'spousal' status to samesex couples from the perspective of queer people who experience intersectional or complex oppression. This study is grounded in a rejection of the necessity or efficacy of attempting to understanding the oppressions facing queer people from only one perspective. I reject the notion that such a simplistic approach to understanding oppression is conceptually honest. Put simply, I argue that what is often characterised as a purely 'gay and lesbian' approach to reform—namely, the consideration of only oppression related to 'sexual orientation' or 'heterosexism'—is in reality the prioritisation of the limited perspective of those who only experience systemic disadvantage related to their race. These people are a small minority of queer people. Unlike many other academics and activists, I do not conclude with a 'yes' or 'no' response to the question of whether same-sex spousal status should be sought. The analysis presented in this thesis does not permit such a final conclusion for three reasons. First, I argue that the implications of the extension of spousal status vary depending on the institutional context; in other words, the extension of spousal status is very different in the context of social assistance law as compared to the provision of employment-related benefits. Secondly, I argue that the extension of spousal status also varies among queer people; for example, the implications of the extension of spousal status to poor queers are vastly different from those who are wealthy. Thirdly, I argue that the decision to support the extension of spousal status to same-sex couples is inherently political; this decision cannot be immunised from political challenge on the basis that it is derived from some allegedly objective legal or socio-scientific calculus. Although I have endeavoured adopt a inter-disciplinary approach, this thesis does focus on legal rights discourse. To my mind, this focus is appropriate given the emphasis on 'rights talk' and the assumed benefits of formal equality within the community of academics and activists working on queer issues. In various parts of this thesis, I focus on the approaches of activists, academics, judges and legislators to the issue of the rights of queer people and the nature of equality. Ultimately, I conclude that until we begin to appreciate the complexity of the oppressions facing queer people, and avoid the false prioritisation of a 'purely gay and lesbian oppression' perspective, we will be unable to work in coalition or to effect progressive social change.

Prisoners rights has become an issue of ever increasing visibility since the middle of the last century. Concern for the rights of those incarcerated within our prisons has intensified with the rise of civil liberties in both Canada and England. Both countries have introduced measures which purport to guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms to their citizens, measures which it would be reasonable to assume, would further the advance of prisoners rights. And yet, progress remains decidedly sluggish. This thesis traces the evolution of rights philosophy, then considers the parallel developments of prisoners rights, penal philosophy and civil liberties and seeks to explain why the potential for advancement has not been fully realized. Prisoners are incarcerated having been found guilty of the most grave of criminal offences and as a consequence, it is perhaps a basic instinct which determines that retribution, and only retribution is warranted in such circumstances. In the age of human rights however, there is the wider picture to consider. This is an age where compassion, mercy and benevolence are to triumph over barbarism, destruction and senseless harm. The conflict between these competing perspectives cannot be dealt with merely by enacting legislation which compels the judiciary to consider claims in a different light, and can only be resolved through a revolution beginning with definitive stance in judicial treatment of prisoner right claims which embraces the philosophy of international human rights provisions. In order to be effective, this must be assisted by bringing about changes within the prison system itself which empower the prisoner and seek to eliminate the feelings of embitterment and resentment which commonly prevail amongst prisoners. The introduction of such measures will only be acceptable if society itself recognizes that imprisonment is transitory and that those who we incarcerate within the walls of our prison, will soon be among us.

My thesis is that Indigenous peoples, as distinct people, are entitled to the full affirmation and explicit recognition of the right to self-determination in the context of the draft U N Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and in international law generally. The international community, and in particular, the nation-state members of the United Nations must uphold their legally binding international obligations in this regard. My methodology has been to utilize the human rights framework and approach, as well as rights discourse to advance this thesis. In addition, I am relying upon my direct participation in this important standard setting process, as well as the writings of various publicists. The right of peoples to self-determination is considered by numerous international authorities to be jus cogens or a peremptory norm. Similarly, the prohibition of racial discrimination is considered by numerous authorities to be a peremptory norm. Throughout the draft Declaration debate, a number of states have proposed wording that would dramatically alter the scope and content of the right to selfdetermination, thereby limiting, qualifying or modifying this right in the context of indigenous peoples. Any state proposals to qualify, limit or modify the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination would be racially discriminatory. If Article 3 of the draft Declaration were to be altered - even to include the same or similar notions as might currently exist under international law - it would invite interpretations to be applied to indigenous peoples' right to self-determination that are different from those of other peoples. It might also have the effect of wrongfully freezing the interpretation of this indigenous human right, in such a manner as to prevent or otherwise stifle its natural evolution under international law. If there is no equality of application of the rule of law in the context of international law and states succeed in introducing discriminatory double standards in connection to indigenous peoples and their fundamental right to self-determination, then the failure of the human rights framework, the United Nations system and nation-states themselves will seriously erode the very concepts of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Šiame darbe nagrinėjama valstybės kaip civilinio delikto subjekto problema Lietuvos teisiniuose santykiuose. Siekiama atskleisti, kad tik valstybėje, besivadovaujančioje teisės viršenybės ir kitais teisės principais, gali tinkamai veikti valstybės atsakomybės piliečiams mechanizmas. Ir tik valstybė atsakinga savo piliečiams gali vadintis teisine. Darbe pateikiama užsienio šalių ir Europos sąjungos teisės teorija ir teisminė praktika valstybės deliktinės atsakomybės srityje, siekiant atskleisti valstybės imuniteto nuo civilinės atsakomybės savo piliečiams sampratos įtakos mažėjimo tendencijas. Darbo tema pagal sudėtingumą ir klausimų problematiškumą padalinta į dvi dalis. Pirmiausia analizuojama valstybės atsakomybė už administracinių ir teisėsaugos institucijų neteisėtais veiksmais padarytą žalą, nagrinėjami teisės aktai, reglamentuojantys šiuos santykius, nustatomi šios atsakomybės atsiradimo pagrindai, atskleidžiamos praktinės problemos, neleidžiančios tinkamai veikti valstybės atsakomybės už šių institucijų padarytą žalą mechanizmui. Vėliau nagrinėjama daug aktualesnė ir daugiau problematikos turinti temos dalis – valstybės atsakomybė už įstatymo leidėjo neteisėtais veiksmais padarytą žalą. Čia aptariamas teisinis reglamentavimas ir nustatoma, kad tiek Konstitucija, tiek ir kiti įstatymai Lietuvos valstybę laiko lygiaverčiu teisinės atsakomybės subjektu. Darbe smulkiai analizuojama Lietuvos teisminė praktika valstybės atsakomybės klausimu, atskleidžiamos teisės praktikų... [to full text] / The topic of this work deals with the problem of a state as the subject of civil tort in legal relations of Lithuania. The main goal is focused on disclosure of the fact that the mechanism of national liability to its citizens is able to function properly only in a State which is following supremacy of the law and other legal principles. Only the State which is liable to its citizens may refer to itself as Legal State.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe ,,Teisinis nihilizmas: jo priežastys ir įveikimo galimybės Lietuvoje” nagrinėjamos labai aktualios problemos valstybei ir visuomenės gyvenimui. Šis darbas yra taikomojo pobūdžio krypties, kadangi pateikiami ir analizuojami savarankiškai gauti nauji empiriniai duomenys: paneigiama daugelio autorių hipotezė, kad tik susibūrusios žmonių grupės gali išspręsti iškilusias ekonomines, socialines, teisėkūros ar kitas problemas, pažaboti politikų ir valdininkų savivalę. Kovoti su teisiniu nihilizmu gali ir privalo kiekvienas Lietuvos Respublikos pilietis, kuris su tuo reiškiniu susiduria. Šis darbas yra teorinio analitinio pobūdžio krypties, nes nagrinėjami teoriniai literatūriniai šaltiniai, Lietuvos Respublikos ir kitų šalių teisės aktai, pateikiami originalūs praktinių problemų sprendimo būdai; pateikiami pavyzdžiai, kaip galima Lietuvoje kovoti su politikų ir valstybės tarnautojų savivale ir neteisminėmis, ir teisminėmis priemonėmis. / In the graduation theses for master’s degree ,,Legal Nihilism in Lithuania: Its Causes and Possibilities to Overcome It” urgent problems for the state and public life are discused. The paper is of applied tendency; hypothesis of many authors, that only rallied groups of people can solve rising economical, social and legal problems as well to stamp out the self-will of politicans and officials, is denied. Every citizen of the Respublic of Lithuania, coming across the phenomenon, must fight against the legal nihilism. The work is of theoretical-analytical tendency, of theoretical literary sources, legal acts of the Respublic of Lithuania and of other countries are investigated, original ways of solving the practical problems are present as well as the modes of fight against the self-will of Lithuanian politicians and officials by judicial and non-judicial measures.

Šiame magistro baigiamajame darbe analizuojamas vienašalis sandoris kaip prievolinių santykių atsiradimo prielaida. Darbas pradedamas vienašalio sandorio sąvokos analize, bendrųjų bruožų atskleidimu ir jo reikšmingumo pagrindimu. Nuosekliai nagrinėjami būtini sandorio elementai: subjektai, valia, valios išraiška, turinys ir forma. Išskiriami, būtent, vienašalio sandorio elementams būdingi ypatumai. Taip pat autorė atskleidžia, kad vienašalis sandoris gali būti pirminiu prievolinių santykių atsiradimo pagrindu arba tik papildomu juridiniu faktu jau esamuose teisiniuose santykiuose. Antrame skyriuje autorė nagrinėja prievolinių santykių kilimo sąlygas pagal tokį sandorį. Šiame skyriuje išskiriamos dvi vienašalių sandorių grupės: vienašaliai sandoriai, kurie skirti juos sudarantiems asmenims ir tie, kurie adresuojami kitiems asmenims. Autorė analizuoja kiekvieno jų ypatumus ir prievolinių santykių kilimo sąlygas. Taip pat nagrinėjamas įstatyme numatytas teisinių padarinių kilimas pagal vienašalį sandorį ir privalomas vienašalio sandorio sudarymas. Trečiasis šio magistro baigiamojo darbo skyrius yra skirtas vienašalio sandorio įtakos apimties analizei. Išskiriami sandoriai, kurie įtakoja tik vieną sandorio šalį ir tie, kurie įtakoja abi šalis. Taip pat analizuojama, kaip teisių ir pareigų pagal tokius sandorius atsiranda tretiesiems asmenims. Šiame skyriuje aptariama vienašalio sandorio atsisakymo teisė ir jos įgyvendinimo sudėtingumas, priklausantis nuo jo įtakos apimties... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Authoress of this master‘s final thesis analyse unilateral legal transaction as the cause of the obligations. The thesis begins with analysis of the concept, common features and substantiation of the importance. Authoress coherently analyse essential elements of the legal transaction: subjects, will, expression of will, content and legal form. The elements of unilateral legal transaction are emphasized. Authoress reveals that unilateral legal transaction can be the prime assumption of the obligations or it can be only collateral fact in the legal relations. The conditions of occurrence of the obligations under unilateral legal transaction are researched in the second chapter. Two groups of legal transactions are separated: unilateral legal transactions that are intended to the formers and those, which are addressed to the other persons. The occurrence of the obligations indicated in the legal acts and obligatory formation of the unilateral legal transaction are analyzed as well. The third chapter is about the size of influence of the unilateral legal transaction. There are contracts which bring influence only to the one part of the contract and those, which bring influence to the both sides. Authoress analyse how rights and obligations can arise to the third persons under unilateral legal transaction. The right of rejection of the unilateral legal transaction is disputed as well. The implementation of this right depends on the size of influence to the sides of the contract... [to full text]

The aim of the research – to define the content, functions, manifestations, forms of the concept of legal culture and to investigate the specific character of the legal culture of Latvian senior-grade elementary school pupils, developing proposals for improvement of acquisition of the legal culture by elementary school pupils. Thus, no research studies of legal culture are actually being made in Latvia, and also attention is insufficiently paid to it in the studies of law, and in political and sociological studies. The scientific novelty of the Doctoral Dissertation is characterised by the fact that the Doctoral Dissertation is dedicated to the legal culture, its updating and consolidating in the scientific and research environment in Latvia. Moreover, such an original research study of the legal culture of Latvian elementary school pupils has been made for the first time in Latvia. / Daktaro disertacijos tikslas – santykio tarp įstatymo ir kultūros apibrėžimas, išryškinant reguliavimo sistemų tarpusavio santykį, kaip socialinių santykių, kurie taip pat yra apibrėžiami teisine kultūra, pagrindą. Autorius nagrinėja terminologijos, susijusios su terminais „teisinė kultūra“, „juridinė kultūra“ ir „įstatymo kultūra“, dilemą, analizuoja teisinės kultūros interpretaciją per įvairių mokslo šakų tyrimus, išskirdamas siaurąjį (mikro lygį) ir platųjį (makro lygį) teisinės kultūros supratimą, apsvarstydamas pagrindines teisinės kultūros formas, funkcijas ir elementus, apibūdindamas virtualią teisinę kultūrą kaip naują teisinės kultūros lygį, taip pat pabrėžia specifinį teisinės kultūros pobūdį pasaulinės krizės sąlygomis. Kaip šio tyrimo dalis, buvo atlikta vidurinės mokyklos aukštesniųjų klasių mokinių teisinės kultūros studija, kuria buvo siekiama išanalizuoti jų požiūrį į pareigą mokytis ir pamokų nelankymo priežastis, ypač atkreipiant dėmesį į 9 klasės mokinių požiūrį į įstatymą ir teisinės elgsenos modelio pasirinkimą, išanalizuojant teisinės kultūros pritaikymą studijų standartams. Galiausiai, buvo padarytos išvados bei pateikti pasiūlymai dėl tolimesnių tyrimų, įstatymų ir nuostatų tobulinimo, programos įdiegiant teisinę kultūrą plėtojimo, atkreipiant ypatingą dėmesį į teisinės kultūros įsisavinimą mokslo įstaigose ir visuomenėje apskritai.

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In an era of globalisation, often described as the era of mobility and of the decline of the relevance of territory, the Roma and the Travellers embody a transnational and non-territorial society. Yet this minority group experiences deplorable living conditions and the survival of its culture is endangered. A study of minority protection mechanisms in international law reveals that the grasp of territory and "sedentarism" has far from disappeared from this branch of law. Territory (or the absence thereof) and movement are the main challenges faced by international law in the development of solutions to the situation of the Roma and the Travellers. In light of the failure of current minority protection regimes, the quest for recognition of a "Roma nation" appears to be an avenue worth exploring. However, while the Roma may not fall clearly within the parameters of minority protection, they do not fall clearly within the concept of nation either. When examining the potential of such recognition, one realizes that it is necessary to redefine the right of self-determination in the context of minority protection and in a transnational and non-territorial perspective.

Dominant theories of aboriginal rights articulate the relation between rights and identity in terms of a logic which treats identity as an irreducible good and rights as the instrumental means of its protection. However, identity claims and legal claims emerge in our use of language. Identity and the institutions in which identities are expressed and experienced are constituted in speech. A close analysis reveals the degree to which law and identity are a systemic imbrication of normative claims characterized by an innate indeterminacy. This indeterminacy renders all rights and identity claims contingent on their reception and validation by others.