AIR203 - Human Rights in World Politics
Unit details
| Year: | 2023 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Costas Laoutides |
| Cohort rule: | Nil |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | AIR234 |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
| Scheduled learning activities - campus: | 1 x 1-hour class per week, 1 x 1-hour seminar per week |
| Scheduled learning activities - online: | 1 x 1-hour class per week (recordings provided) and 1 x 1-hour seminar per week |
Content
The unit explores the evolution of the modern human rights regime as well as some of the major debates about the role of human rights in international relations, such as: the dichotomy between individual and group rights; discussion on Universalism and Relativism; the relation between state sovereignty, violence and human rights.
Accordingly, the unit focuses on critically applying these debates to contemporary issues of human suffering such as: genocide, forced migration, state terrorism. The unit will then examine international mechanisms of addressing human wrongs in world politics such as humanitarian intervention and the International Criminal Court. The unit will conclude with recent challenges on human rights coming from the changing nature of warfare in the twenty first century, to this end the role of private military companies and the use of artificial intelligence in the battlefield will be explored.
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Apply the concept of human rights in international politics, evaluate the scholarly debates surrounding this concept and develop a clear understanding of the human rights norms and rules in the international system and the challenges they face | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Engage in critical analysis of particular episodes of human suffering in world politics and to provide an assessment of human rights debates by discussing ideas with clarity | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO3 | Evaluate the evolving challenges to human rights in the twenty first century and the consequent impact on the human rights standards in the international political system | GLO8: Global citizenship |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 - Online Quiz | 800 words or equivalent | 20% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 2 - Essay | 1600 words or equivalent | 40% | Week 8 |
| Assessment 3 - Test | 1600 words | 40% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via AIR203
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Click on the fee link below which describes you: