ATS3950 · Activism for academic freedom: Applied workshop in research advocacy

Overview

All over the world, academics face human rights abuses including unjust restrictions, prosecution or imprisonment for pursuing knowledge in their area of expertise and exerting their freedom of speech as public intellectuals. This unit provides you with a real-world opportunity to partner with the international advocacy network Scholars at Risk (SAR) to advance its work on behalf of threatened and imprisoned scholars around the world. Working in teams, you will gain applied experience in creating an advocacy campaign on behalf of a scholar at risk, in consultation with industry mentors. Teams will conduct research on an at-risk individual, and monitor their case and the human rights situation of the country in question; organise advocacy initiatives, including social media campaigns, videos, outreach to news outlets, awareness raising on campus, and conducting government advocacy; and report their findings to SAR to serve as a basis for future advocacy. You will gain workplace-ready skills in human rights research and advocacy, professional writing and collaborative project work.

Areas of study: Human rights International studies International relations Cultural competence

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

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. understand the role of civil society, government, and international organizations in protecting human rights and academic freedom;
2. conduct high-quality academic research on human rights violations, and be able to translate your knowledge for non-academic audiences;
3. write professional case reports for use by industry/ NGOs;
4. demonstrate high-level project management and campaigning skills;
5. speak and write persuasively for advocacy purposes;
6. display high-quality leadership, teamwork and intercultural communication skills.

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.