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Human Rights: Architectures, Actors, Activism

  • Module code: PO7013
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 7
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

This module is one of two core modules for students on the MA Human Rights, and can be taken as an option by some students in related fields who are interested in learning about the human rights architecture, its actors and their activism. It is aimed at clarifying central themes in the history and evolution of human rights, and looks also at the institutions and mechanisms operating at the international and regional levels to protect, promote and defend human rights. Through case studies, students will learn about the roles, functions and activities of key human rights actors and institutions at the international, regional and domestic levels. The module will include a critical evaluation of the challenges facing human rights actors and institutions in defending, protecting and promoting human rights and end with a critical consideration of the interplay between human rights actors, institutions and activism.

Aims

  • To enhance and develop students' critical understanding of the theories and practices of international, regional and domestic human rights architectures;
  • To critically assess the roles and contributions of key human rights actors and institutions working at the international, regional and domestic levels to defend, protect and promote human rights;
  • To critically engage with various forms of activism involved in defending, protecting and promoting human rights;
  • To critically reflect on the possible disjuncture between the challenges actors face and the impact of their activism. 

Learning outcomes

  • Critically assess how human rights have evolved over time;
  • Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the actors, institutions and mechanisms operating at the international, regional and domestic levels for the protection, promotion and defence of human rights;
  • Critically evaluate the activities of key human rights actors and institutions and the interplay between these actors and their activities;
  • Reflect critically on the challenges facing human rights actors and institutions in defending, protecting and promoting human rights.

Curriculum content

  • Introduction
  • The evolution of human rights
  • The international architecture of human rights protection
  • Regional architectures of human rights protection
  • The human rights movement: types of activism
  • International human rights actors
  • Regional human rights actors
  • Specialist human rights actors
  • International intergovernmental human rights actors
  • Human rights institutions; international and regional
  • Domestic human rights institutions

Teaching and learning strategy

The teaching and learning strategy will involve a mix of lectures, debates, seminars and workshops appropriate to the content and focus of the module. The module will begin with an initial set of lectures, supported by seminars, aimed at clarifying central themes in the history and evolution of human rights. This will be followed by a further set of seminars on actors, institutions and mechanisms operating at the international, regional and domestic levels to protect, promote and defend human rights. Problem-based learning will be encouraged through various case-studies exploring the roles, functions, and activities of key human rights actors and institutions at the international, regional and domestic levels. The module will include a critical evaluation of the challenges facing human rights actors and institutions in defending, protecting and promoting human rights and end with consideration of the interplay between human rights actors, institutions and their activities.

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching Lectures and Seminars 48
Guided independent study Seminar Preparation, Group Work, Revision 252
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

Formative Assessment

At intervals throughout the module, there will be formative activities for students to practice the appropriate study and critical thinking skills, as well as, occasions to give and receive feedback to and from their peers on their work. Formative assessment is non-assessed (no formal marks); the emphasis is on feedback to identify areas for improvement.

 In groups, students will participate in mock-UN debates, where they will role-play different international actors and present these actors interests in the specified forum. A panel of judges, comprised of their peers, will set the criteria on which the successful representation of the actors will be assessed. This provides the occasion for students to give and receive feedback from their peers. This formative assessment feeds forwards into the summative assessment by allowing students to engage with material as a group in advance of being summatively assessed on it in the workbook and essay. 

Summative Assessment

The Workbook (2000 words) is a take home seen exam formed of a series of short answer questions about the evolution of the human rights architecture. It is designed to ensure that students have a base knowledge of human rights architectures, in order to facilitate learning throughout the rest of the module and the MA Human Rights degree programme. 

The Essay (3000 words) is a comparative analysis of the role, functions and activities of a number of human rights actors and institutions working at the international, regional and domestic levels to defend, protect and promote human rights. Students are required to synthesise their learning into a reflective piece of critical thinking on the themes and topics covered in this module.

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
1) Critically assess how human rights have evolved over time; Workbook: Section A
2) Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the actors, institutions and mechanisms operating at the international, regional and domestic levels for the protection, promotion and defence of human rights; Workbook: Section B and C
3) Critically evaluate the activities of key human rights actors and institutions and the interplay between these actors and their activities; Essay
4) Reflect critically on the challenges facing human rights actors and institutions in defending, protecting and promoting human rights. Essay

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Coursework Workbook 30
Coursework Essay 70
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

Donnelly, J. (2003) Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. Ithaca: Cornell University Press

Bibliography recommended reading

Donnelly, J. (2006) International Human Rights, 3rdedition. Boulder CO: Westview Press

Dembour, M-B (2010) ‘What are human rights? Four Schools of Thought', Human Rights Quarterly, Vol: 32(1): 1-20

Ishay, M. (2004) ‘What are Human Rights? Six Historical Controversies'. Journal of Human Rights 3(3): 359-371 

Waltz, S. (2001) ‘Universalizing Human Rights: The Role of Small States in the Construction of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights', Human Rights Quarterly, Vol: 23(1): 44-72

Subedi, S. (2011) ‘Protection of human rights through the mechanism of UN special rapporteurs' Human Rights Quarterly, Vol.33(1): 201-228

Johnstone , R (2006) Feminist Influences on the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies, Human Rights Quarterly, Vol 28(1): 148-185

Kedzia, Z. (2003) ‘United Nations Mechanisms to Promote and Protect Human Rights' in Simonides, J. Human Rights: International Protections, Monitoring, Enforcement. Ashgate 

Alston, P. (1992) The United Nations and Human Rights: a critical appraisal. Oxford: Clarendon

Steiner, H. J., Alston, P. and Goodman, R. (2007) International Human Rights in Context,3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press 

Goldman , R (2009) History and Action: The Inter-American Human Rights System and the Role of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights Quarterly, Vol 31(4): 856-887

Rishmawi, M. (2005) ‘The Revised Arab Charter on Human Rights: A Step Forward?'. Human Rights Law Review 5(2): 361-376

Murray, R. (1999) ‘Serious or Massive Violations under the African Charter of Human and People's Rights: A Comparison with the Inter-American and European Mechanisms'. Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights (17)2: 109-13

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