| Unit name | Human Rights in Law, Politics and Society |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD30125 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Greer |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit will cover the following topics: the history of the human rights ideal and its contested status in western debates about law, politics and society; the increasing internationalization and globalization of human rights; arguments about the universality and cultural limits of human rights; the profile of human rights in the world's two main rivals to the western model (Islam and 'Chinese/Asian values'); attempts to sanction human rights violations through judicial processes (including the European Court of Human Rights and the International Criminal Court); and some sharp contemporary debates, including over the profile of human rights in economic development, aid and trade, in responses to terrorism, and in armed conflicts.
By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to explain:
a) the nature of human rights; b) its contested status in debates about non-western political moralities, globalization, international law and international relations; c) identify and discuss some core debates where human rights are particularly central, eg transitional justice, terrorism, multiculturalism.
Students should be able to state the various arguments and positions in key debates ccurately, to assess them critically and to come to provisional reasoned conclusions about how challenging issues might best be understood and problems resolved.
This unit is also intended to improve the following benchmark skills – critical analysis of written texts and written argumentation.
10 fortnightly two hour seminars.
One three-hour closed book examination in May/June, in which students answer 3 questions from a choice of 7 or 8 questions.
Recommended reading is divided into ‘Textbook reading’ and ‘Other literature’. No single textbook covers the entire syllabus. However, the closest to unit texts are J. Donnelly, International Human Rights: Dilemmas in World Politics (Westview Press, 2007) and Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice (Cornell University Press, 2nd edn., 2003). All but a few chapters in each are recommended below. Other textbooks, and collections of essays, to which frequent reference is made include: M. Freeman, Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Polity, 2nd edn., 2011); J. Rehman, International Human Rights Law (Pearson, 2nd edn., 2010); D. Moeckli, S. Shah, S. Sivakumaran (eds), International Human Rights Law (Oxford University Press, 2010); O. De Schutter, International Human Rights Law: Cases, Materials, Commentary (Cambridge University Press, 2010); S. Joseph & A. McBeth (eds), Research Handbook on International Human Rights Law (Edward Elgar, 2010); A. Fagan, Human Rights: Confronting Myths and Misunderstandings (Edward Elgar, 2010); M. Goodhart, Human Rights: Politics and Practice (Oxford University Press, 2009); C. Tomuschat, Human Rights: Between Idealism and Realism (Oxford University Press, 2nd edn., 2008); A. Clapham, Human Rights: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2007); and J. Steiner, P. Alston & R. Goodman (eds.), International Human Rights in Context: Law, Politics, Morals (Oxford University Press, 3rd edn., 2007). The remaining literature is vast and a great deal more has appeared in recent years on some topics than on others. Students are not expected to read all the listed materials. Many are alternatives rather than additional to each other. As much should be consulted as is required in order to understand any given topic fully. Particularly useful items are marked with an asterisk. Some items are also available on Blackboard e-reserve.
