ATS3916 · Critical perspectives on human rights

Overview

What are we talking about, when we talk about human rights? And how does the way we speak about human rights shape global politics? Bringing together philosophical texts with real-world examples, this unit will introduce you to competing narratives about what human rights are and where they come from; invite you to see human rights discourse from a post-colonial perspective; and challenge you to identify both the power and the limitations of both the theory and practice of human rights in addressing the crises of the contemporary world.

Areas of study: Human rights Philosophy

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. engage with debates about the history of the concept of human rights;
2. discuss the potentially controversial implications of political applications of human rights;
3. identify relevant literature for critical debates on the terminology of human rights;
4. undertake independent research and critical reading to construct an analysis of the scholarship;
5. communicate arguments orally and in writing.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.