EUT253: Human Rights and Global Justice
| School | null |
| Department Code | null |
| Module Code | EUT253 |
| External Subject Code | L200 |
| Number of Credits | 30 |
| Level | L7 |
| Language of Delivery | English |
| Module Leader | Professor Peter Sutch |
| Semester | Spring Semester |
| Academic Year | 2013/4 |
Outline Description of Module
This module explores the political issues associated with the development of human rights in international society in the contemporary period. It explores the interface between law, politics and ethics. This module critically examines the impact of human rights norms on international politics and international law. It explores key legal issues and also the traditions of thought in normative international relations theory; focusing particularly on issues of human rights, global poverty and redistributive justice and state breakdown and secession.
On completion of the module a student should be able to
On successful completion of the module a student will be able to:
1) show an understanding of the wide range of arguments and issues relating to justice theory and how the sub-discipline of normative international political theory came to be shaped;
2) demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which human rights concerns have impacted upon the development of international law and international politics and vice versa;
3) demonstrate the ability to critically assess the main issues surrounding international political concepts, in philosophical detail, and with reference to a wide range of ethical and political perspectives;
4) demonstrate a detailed critical understanding of the approach of international law towards human rights;
5) demonstrate an understanding of the key traditions of thought within normative international relations theory;
6) demonstrate a clear understanding of the legal, political and ethical issues in the areas of, inter alia, human rights, global distributive justice, just war and state breakdown and state succession.
How the module will be delivered
Teaching will take place in Semester 2 and will consist of 10 two-three hour seminars. Most seminars will be led by student presentations.
Skills that will be practised and developed
To enable students to demonstrate that they understand an argument or debate in detail. They will demonstrate that they can apply skills from legal and international studies developed in the module, that they can summarise the key positions and can critically engage with ideas and concepts that are central to the module.
How the module will be assessed
|
Type of assessment
|
% Contribution |
Title |
Duration |
Approx. date of Assessment |
|
CW |
100 |
Formative essay |
5000 words |
Week 12 semester 2 |
The opportunity for reassessment in this module
Students who fail have 1 further attempt to submit an essay for the maximum mark of 50
Assessment Breakdown
| Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assessment | 100 | Human Rights And Global Justice | N/A |
Syllabus content
Seminars will normally cover the following topics:
- Introduction to human rights in Public International Law;
- Development of the sub-discipline of ‘international justice’ in International Relations theory;
- Human Rights and Global Justice – competing or complementary ideas;
- Global and international ethics – the role of law and the IR theory;
- Global governance, human rights and the right to development
- Issues of poverty, famine and debt – the politics and the role of law;
- Transitional Justice
- Overview and conclusion.
Essential Reading and Resource List
Indicative Reading and Resource List:
- D. Armstrong et al (eds), International Law and International Relations (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
- A. Buchanan Justice Legitimacy and Self Determination: Moral Foundations for International Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
-P. Alston and R. Goodman, International Human Rights (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
- R. Falk, Human Rights Horizons: The Pusuit of Justice in a Globalizing World (London: Routledge)
- D. Forsythe, Human Rights in International Relations, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)
- M. Byers (ed.), The Role of Law in International Politics: Essays in International Relations and International Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
- D. Harris, M. O’Boyle and C. Warbrick, Law of the European Convention on Human Rights (Oxford: Oxford University Press)
- S. Jospeh et al., The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Oxford: Oxford University Press).