LAW5327 - International human rights - 2019

This unit is a general introduction to international human rights law. It is concerned with human rights standards as they exist in international law and the international mechanisms for enforcing these standards. The unit will consider a selection of specific human rights, limitations to human rights (e.g. derogation in time of emergency) and some major contemporary international human rights issues.

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

• apply knowledge and understanding of international human rights standards and evaluate mechanisms designed to enforce human rights at the international/regional level with creativity and initiative to new situations for further learning;
• investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information, problems, concepts and theories in relation to various human rights;
• conduct research in the content of various human rights, such content being identified, inter alia, by reference to the case law of the UN treaty monitoring committees and regional human rights courts based on knowledge of appropriate research principles and methods; and
• use cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate at an abstract level complex ideas and concepts relevant to some of the philosophical bases of and problems with international human rights law in light of contemporary human rights issues.

Malaysia attendance requirement: Students who fail to attend at least 80% of the classes in this unit (ie who miss 3 or more classes) will receive a result of 0 N for the unit. Students who are unable to meet this requirement due to severe illness or other exceptional circumstances must make an application for in-semester special consideration with supporting documentation.

Group presentation:20%

Individual assignment (1500 words):20%

Take home exam:60%

Students enrolled in this unit will be provided with 24 contact hours of seminars per semester [in Prato they will have 36 contact hours] whether intensive, semi-intensive, or semester-long offering. Students will be expected to do reading set for class, and to undertake additional research and reading applicable to a 6 credit point unit.