Robert C. Blitt

Associate Professor of Law
B.A. magna cum laude, McGill University
M.A., University of Toronto
J.D., University of Toronto
LL.M., University of Toronto

International Law, Human Rights, and Comparative Constitutional Law

Email: rblitt *@* utk.edu

Social Science Research Network (SSRN) Author Page

Professor Blitt joined the faculty as an Associate Professor in 2007. He came to Tennessee from Washington, DC, where he served as International Law Specialist for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bi-partisan agency created by Congress to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad. Prior to joining the Commission, Professor Blitt spent over five years in the Middle East, where, among other things, he served with the Department of International Agreements in Israel's Ministry of Justice, clerked for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Israel, and directed projects at Physicians for Human Rights (Israel). In 2002, Professor Blitt was a Rabin Fellow for Peace and Tolerance at the Hebrew University.

Among his writings, Professor Blitt produced a detailed human rights analysis of Iraq's 2005 constitution, as well as other articles including “The Religion-State Relationship and the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief: A Comparative Textual Analysis of the Constitutions of Predominantly Muslim Countries,” and “Who Will Watch the Watchdogs: The Case for Regulating International Human Rights Nongovernmental Organizations.” Professor Blitt's current research areas include exploring the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in promoting international human rights norms and questions related to NGO regulation, including Russia's new NGO law.

Publications

Babushka Said Two Things—It Will Either Rain or Snow; it Either Will or Will Not”: An Analysis of the Provisions and Human Rights Implications of Russia’s New Law on Nongovernmental Organizations as Told Through Eleven Russian Proverbs 40 Geo. Wash. Int’l L. Rev.___ (Forthcoming, 2008) 

The Religion-State Relationship and the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief: A Comparative Textual Analysis of the Constitutions of Predominantly Muslim Countries, 36 Geo. J. Int'l L. 947-1078 (co-authored with Tad Stahnke)

Who Will Watch the Watchdogs? Human Rights NGOs and the Case for Regulation, 10 Buff. Hum. Rts. L. Rev. 261-398

International Legal Developments in Review 2005: Iraq—The Constitution, 40 Int'l Law. 605-606 (Summer 2006)

International Legal Developments in Review 2004: Iraq—Human Rights, 39 Int'l Law. 605-607 (Summer 2005)

Select Presentations

"Harmless Regulation or Harmful Regression? Russia’s New NGO Law and Human Rights," Southeastern Association of Law Schools Annual Meeting (Florida, 2007)

“Recent Developments in International NGO Activities: Building Credible Self Accountability Principles in An Age of Increasing Government Regulation,” American Bar Association Section on International Law Spring Meeting (Washington, DC, 2007) (Panel co-chair and speaker)

“Challenge to Civil Society: Russia's Amended Law on Noncommercial Organizations,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Washington DC, 2007) (direct link to audio recording of briefing).

“Political Systems in Constitutions of Muslim Countries,” Seminar on Islam, Law, Human Rights, and the State Under the Iraqi Constitution, National Democratic Institute (Jordan, 2006)

“Rights Issues in the New Iraq,” Religious Liberties Congressional Working Group (Washington, DC, 2005)

“Balancing Human Rights & Islam: A Critical Analysis of Iraq's Draft Constitution,” Bipartisan Congressional Staff Briefing (Washington, DC, 2005)

“The International Religious Freedom Act and a Thematic Review of Religious Persecution Worldwide,” Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Overseas Processing Entities Workshop, Department of State, (Washington, DC , 2005).

“Ethnic & Religious Minorities: Comparative Experiences,” Roundtable on Minorities and the Iraqi Constitutional Process, U.S. Institute of Peace (Jordan, 2005)

“Human Rights in Iraq,” Interview with Diar Bamrni, Radio Free Iraq (Washington, DC, 2005) (Transcript & Audio in Arabic)

“Human Rights and Muslim Constitutions,” “Looking Forward,” Voice of America Television, Persian Broadcast Service (Washington, DC, 2005)

“Religion & Iraq's Permanent Constitution: Constitutional Models of Predominantly Muslim Countries,” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Washington, DC, 2005)

“Religious Freedom in Iraq,” Washington Post Live Discussion, (Washington, DC, 2005)

“Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” National Lawyer's Guild, Vermont Law School (Vermont, 2002)

Select Achievements and Affiliations

Chair, American Bar Association (ABA) Section on International Law NGO & Not-for-Profit Organizations Committee

Vice-chair, American Bar Association (ABA) Section on International Law Middle East Committee

Chair-elect, American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Section on International Human Rights Law

Admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Revised August 1, 2007