LAW-40046 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

No

Barred Combinations

No

Description for 2024/25

This module further develops the connections between global and local causes and responses to contemporary human rights issues. The overall focus of the module is on exploring evolving political and legal strategies to advance human rights in a global political framework. The module examines the relevance of debates about the possible emergence of a global civil society to understanding human rights practices, continuing the themes of regulation from the last module to examine the expansion and role of transnational human rights monitoring and activism. The module recognises the need for an understanding of political violence and terror to assess and address causes of human rights violations, with a particular focus on the debate about the relationship between democratisation, development, human rights and violence. This will include comparative analysis of the use of terror by states against their own citizens and how this can be understood and explained. Related to this are the implications of the war on terror for human rights in both the North and South. Institutional and non-institutional strategies for securing human rights are the focus for the last part of this module.

To introduce students to the main debates on the ways that political structures shape human rights, and how evolving political and legal strategies advance human rights in a global political framework.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Develop a systematic understanding of the theories of global civil society, political violence and terror as related to questions of human rights protection, and a critical awareness of current normative and conceptual issues presented by this, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their relevant subjects or area of professional
practice;: 1,2
Develop a conceptual understanding that enables them to critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship of theories of global civil society, political violence and terror as related to questions of human rights protection, and to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them, and where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses;: 1,2
Demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge of theories of global civil society, political violence and terror as related to questions of human rights protection, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline;: 1,2
Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving research problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing research tasks;: 1,2
Enhance their ability to deal with complex issues of theories of global civil society, political violence and terror as related to questions of human rights protection systematically and creatively, and to communicate conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.: 1,2
Develop a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their research into the theories of global civil society, political violence and terror as related to questions of human rights protection;: 1,2

Study hours

10 x 2h seminars = 20h
Seminar preparation = 40h
Essay and presentation preparation = 40h
Private study = 50h
Total: 150h

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment