ATS1315 - Human rights theory 2 - 2017

The unit investigates a number of contemporary debates about human rights which have implications in domestic and international politics. For instance: do cultural minorities have special claims to group rights? Do human rights violations invalidate government's claim to sovereignty or independence? Can group rights be reconciled with the individualistic bent of human rights theory? Do the expanding rights of children conflict with the rights of parents? The unit also investigates the ethical foundations of human rights. Do human rights represent basic moral obligations? Or are they just a way to promote good consequences? And how do human rights relate to animal rights?

Students successfully completing this subject should have developed:

1. Mastery of the content of several key controversies surrounding human rights.
2. Improved writing skills.
3. Improved oral communication skills.
4. Familiarity with central positions in philosophical accounts of the justification and explanation of human rights.
5. Skills to assist them to conduct independent research in human rights topics.

Within semester assessment: 70% + Exam: 30%

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. A unit requires on average three/four hours of scheduled activities per week. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Professor Robert Sparrow

Human rights