Studying at York
Human Rights & Wrongs - POL00061I
- Department: Politics and International Relations
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: I
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
Module summary
This module explores the politics of promoting and protecting human rights in different political contexts around the world, both in long-established democracies and in the majority world/global South.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2023-24 |
Module aims
This module explores the politics of promoting and protecting human rights in different political contexts around the world, both in long-established democracies, and in the majority world/global South. It provides an overview of different sites of human rights struggle – from party politics to the family – and situates these in the context of histories of oppression, colonialism, and racialisation. Drawing on cutting-edge research being carried out by members of the Politics department at York, you’ll start to develop the skills you need to compare different cases and critically assess the strategic choices different political actors are making. You’ll learn to assess these choices in the light of ongoing political, philosophical and ideological debates about the nature of human rights, freedom, dignity, and justice.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, you should be able to:
· Think politically about the stakes involved in human rights struggles in a variety of political contexts;
· Identify strategies and tactics different actors use to respond to the shifting balance of power between government and civil society at different moments and in different contexts;
· Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of using the human rights framework in struggles for freedom, dignity, and justice.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Students will receive written timely feedback on their formative assessment. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor’s feedback and guidance hours.
Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessment no later than 25 working days; and the module tutor will hold a specific session to discuss feedback, which students can also opt to attend. They will also have the opportunity to discuss their feedback during the module tutor’s regular feedback and guidance hours.
Indicative reading
.