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Understanding Human Rights - GENL1062
Blooming Flowers

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Equivalent: GENL1062
 
 
Excluded: LAWS3362
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 1 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 
Available for General Education: Yes (more info)
 
 

Description

Understanding Human Rights examines the moral and legal foundations of the contemporary human rights discourse. It explores the philosophical and religious origins of human rights and the development of national and international human rights instruments. The course analyses the claims of Western bias in the human rights discourse and evaluates the effectiveness of historical and contemporary approaches to human rights protection. The course uses contemporary examples of human rights abuse to illustrate the content.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Course Objectives

The course aims to ensure that students become familiar with the moral principles which undergird the contemporary human rights discourse and the legal principles which support it. Students will be taught how to research this area of global interest, drawing on knowledge from a number of different disciplines, including philosophy, history, the social sciences and law.

More specifically,

  • Students will be introduced to the major dilemmas facing the international community in addressing human rights issues and acquire the analytical tools necessary for understanding them.
  • Students will learn how to apply the theory they learn contemporary situations and determine when the formal application of international law or the use of informal mechanisms, such as NGOs, is more effective in overcoming and remedying human rights abuses.

Main Topics

  • The idea of human rights in philosophy and religion;
  • Notions of absolutism, universalism, cultural relativism, and pluralism in relation to human rights;
  • The development of historical and contemporary human rights documents;
  • International and Australian human rights law;
  • The effectiveness of current human rights protection internationally and domestically;
  • Human rights expansionism; and the relationship between rights and responsibilities.

Assessment

 Class attendance and Participation  10%
 Short assignment (500 words)  25%
 Classroom test (1 hour)  20%
 Research essay (2000 words)  45%

Course Texts

Prescribed
Students must purchase the course Study Kit from the UNSW Bookshop. There is no prescribed textbook for this course.

Recommended
Refer to the Course Outline and Study Kit for a list of references.

Order from UNSW Bookshop

Resources
Refer to Course Outline and Study Kit.

URL for this page:

© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.