Introductory description

Human Rights in Practice is a full year module that explores the role of human rights for addressing real problems and human rights abuses in the community.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The course will involve the following key elements:

Understanding the moral and legal framework of human rights in both the UK and internationally.

Applying your understanding of human rights to the practical and social contexts within which human rights are invoked. You will do this by undertaking a human rights project with a small group of fellow students. Each year students choose from a selection of two project topics, with previous topics including: digital rights, the right to health, policing, the rights of the elderly, violence against women, and the right to housing. Students then reflect on their project experience in the form of a portfolio submitted at the end of the course.

The module is an experiential learning module, in which you should discover:

The potential that human rights holds for addressing social issues;

The limits of human rights discourse and of legal and other forms of action in upholding particular rights.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Research the legal basis for specific rights and to investigate the legal problems and implications of particular human rights for identified interests or constituencies.
• Understand the contextual operation and Implementation of specific rights and the practical opportunities, processes, requirements and constraints affecting the pursuit and promotion of specific rights.
• Evaluate and analyse the value and significance of a practical human rights problem or project.
• Reflect upon their experience and develop alternative and improved responses to their project/problem where necessary.
• Understand the basic concepts, theoretical debates and individual/social significance of Human rights in the UK, Europe and internationally.
• Understand the legal and constitutional framework within which human rights in the UK are defined, adjudicated and implemented.
• Appreciate the relevance of specific rights to particular communities and individuals.
• Develop written and oral advocacy skills in the analysis, preparation and presentation of a human rights project on behalf of an external agency, group or interest.
• Experience and practice the planning, negotiation and delivery of a human rights project on behalf of a local community interest or group.
• Use a variety of information technology media in researching, drafting and presenting their projects for a specific audience.
• Work effectively with others and to organise collective responses to identified human rights problems or issues and understand the significance of developing appropriate team-working practices and behaviours.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Specific reading list for the module

Research element

Research into area of human rights that will form basis of project.

Then, for reflective portfolio, research into contextual human rights issues related to project delivery.

Subject specific skills

Human rights research
Human rights project planning
Human rights project development
Human rights project implementation

Transferable skills

Teamwork
Project planning
Research
Analysis
Reflection