LW930-7-SP-CO:
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Context

The details
2025/26
Essex Law School
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
15
19 March 2025

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

LLM M2M012 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
LLM M2M024 Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

Module description

This module builds on the foundational introduction to Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) provided in LW901 International Human Rights Law: Law and Practice. LW901 is a pre-requisite for this module, and the course outline for LW930 should be read in conjunction with that of LW901.


ESCR include the right to work, rights at work, the right to health, the right to an adequate standard of living (including housing, water, clothing and food), the right to protection and assistance to the family, the right to education, the right to social security and the right to culture.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To look at international and national challenges and opportunities to advance progressively in the fulfilment of ESCR.

  • To enable students to put ESCR in a wider law and policy context.

  • To provide students with working knowledge of the relationship between intersectional inequality and ESCR, global challenges like climate change and pandemic preparedness, the role of privatisation and taxation to fulfil ESCR, and the negative impact of austerity and structural adjustments.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of States’ obligations under international human rights law to promote and protect ESCR at the level of policy.

  2. Acquire a comprehensive understanding of the techniques available to monitor State compliance with ESCR.

  3. Critically evaluate the practical application of ESCR.

  4. Critically assess and evaluate the law on ESCR as it applies to all duty-bearers e.g. states and corporations.

  5. Develop an awareness of different research approaches to ESCR, including formalist and critical legal approaches, and different (and inter) disciplinary approaches.

Module information

Indicative Module Outline



  • Intersectionality, equality and ESCR.

  • Social determinants of health.

  • Cultural rights. 

  • Right to work and rights at work.

  • Public finance, taxation and welfare state.

  • Privatisation and private delivery of social services.

  • Austerity and non-retrogression: Principles and monitoring.

  • International trade, investment and ESCR.

  • ESCR and international human rights mechanisms.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • One 2-hour seminar each week.

Students are expected to read the materials, including cases, on the reading list each week.

Bibliography*

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Essay (LW930 Economic Social and Cultural Rights)    100% 

Additional coursework information

This module will be assessed by way of a 5,000-word essay.

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

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Paul Hunt, email: phmhunt@essex.ac.uk.
The Law Education Admin Team - pgtlawqueries@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
No
Yes

External examiner

Dr Titilayo Adebola
University of Aberdeen
Lecturer in Law
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information
Essex Law School

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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