HU930-7-AU-CO:
Human Rights: Global Diversity and Global Challenges
2024/25
Human Rights Centre (Essex Law School)
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
15
27 May 2022
Requisites for this module
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The new multidisciplinary module provides a comprehensive education in a range of foundational and applied issues arising out of the complex and sometimes, conflictual relationship between human rights and cultural diversity.
It also enables students to engage with related challenges and issues impacting human rights-based responses to a selection of key global challenges, particularly concerning the complex social, political and legal relationships between the Global South and the Global North. The module will be taught over a single academic term.
The module aims to ensure that students enrolled upon the Global Diversity and Global Challenges pathway of the MATPHR establish a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of key issues and areas.
These include, a sound knowledge and understanding of the key normative perspectives upon the application of human rights within a global and diverse context; a sound knowledge and understanding of some of the key challenges and issues which various regional systems and bodies entail for the global human rights system; a sound knowledge and understanding of how experiences and perceptions of human rights within the global south impact the global protection of human rights; and a sound appreciation of the contribution which rights make for the enjoyment of cultural identity.
1. Gain satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the normative foundations of human rights.
2. Gain satisfactory knowledge and understanding of specific critical perspectives upon human rights from the perspective of cultural diversity.
3. Gain an understanding of the complex relationship between respecting human rights principles and respecting various cultural communities.
4. Gain an understanding of the complex geo-political relationships between the Global north and Global South in respect of the protection of human rights.
5. Gain a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of core legal mechanisms for the protection of cultural rights and the rights of minorities.
6. Gain a satisfactory knowledge of core human rights regional systems.
7. Acquire an intellectual framework within which to situate and understand a range of contemporary debates and controversies within this area of study and practice.
The module will comprise nine separate weeks, each dedicated to the study of one distinct thematic sphere.
Indicative list of topics:
Introduction to human rights and global diversity
Universalism, relativism and ethnocentricity
The normative and legal basis to a right to cultural identity?
Collective rights and minority rights
Human rights in the Global South: the Americas
Human rights in the Global South: Africa
Human rights in Asia
Islamic approaches to and perceptions of human rights
Human rights and global governance: taking stock
This module will be taught via weekly 2-hour seminars.
The module teaching team will upload all relevant teaching materials on Moodle. You will find reading lists, the textbook, weekly handouts or PPS notes on Moodle. The materials in question are designed both to help you navigate the material to be covered in the seminars and to equip you to analyse the required readings. You will be expected to have completed the required readings in advance of your seminars.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Essay (HU930 Human Rights Global Diversity) |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
Yes
Yes
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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