Human Rights

Module overview:

This module provides the essential introduction to the major concepts, theories, laws, conventions and substantive issues in the interdisciplinary field of human rights. It covers the history of the idea of human rights prior to and following the emergence of the modern human rights regime and the embedding of human rights in international law. You will look at human rights through a variety of disciplinary lenses, including law, philosophy, sociology and international relations, in order to better grasp the lived reality of human rights beyond rhetoric or law. In addition to critically engaging with a variety of theories of rights, including liberal, communitarian, Marxist, feminist, social constructionist and postcolonial approaches, you will be introduced to some of the major human rights concerns in the world today, such as torture, gender discrimination, and the plight of refugees. The module is grounded in the programme’s core belief that human rights is a contested terrain which needs to be interrogated in an interdisciplinary way.

Teaching and learning:

You'll learn through a weekly lecture and seminar supported by occasional other activities such as videos and guest speakers. The lecture will cover the key topics, while the seminar time will be spent working with other students and providing guidance on the assessment. 

The module schedule includes the university-wide career development week. During this week, you will participate in a wide range of generic and module-specific activities designed to enhance employability.

Assessment:

This module will be assessed using a position paper, worth 50%, it requires you to select a key contemporary concern and present an argument for the need to take stronger action on it, substantiated by evidence drawing on law, philosophy and sociology. There will also be a presentation worth 50% based on selected readings or case studies discussed during the course.

Module overview:

This module focuses on genocide, mass atrocities and international justice. It will draw on key theoretical insights from law, sociology, criminology and international relations to understand the role of international justice, and the different approaches to prevention and accountability. These concepts and frameworks will be examined through a range of case studies that elaborate on the complex relationships between war, genocide, identity, and violence. These cases will also encourage you to critically analyze the international systems in place and explore the emerging patterns of increasing accountability for perpetrators and access to justice for victims. You will be exposed, for example, to the workings of the International Criminal Court and to its limitations.

Teaching and learning:

You'll learn through a weekly lecture and seminar or workshop. Seminars will include discussions of key readings and analyses of major cases. There will also be the possibility for you to witness international justice in action via a field trip to the International Criminal Court in The Hague (subject to availability and demand).

The module schedule includes the university-wide career development week. During this week, you will participate in a wide range of generic and module-specific activities designed to enhance employability. Module-specific activities may include, among others, visiting speakers, careers workshops and field trips.

Assessment:

This module will be assessed using an annotated bibliography worth 50%, in which you are required to present a critical analysis of selected contributions to the academic literature on genocide and mass killings. There will also be an essay worth 50%.

Module overview:

This module introduces you to a range of theories and methods that underpin social research. The module is delivered within a broader social justice framework that emphasises equity, inclusivity, and ethical inquiry. It challenges traditional power dynamics in research and encourages you to critically examine biases, representation, and the impact of research on marginalized communities. The module introduces how research can both reinforce and challenge social inequalities, exploring epistemologies and approaches to researching for social justice (including decolonizing methodologies; community-based research; participatory research; trauma-informed approaches), as well as providing an understanding of core principles of social research. 

Teaching and learning:

You'll learn through weekly lectures and workshops. Workshops will utilise a variety of teaching approaches i.e. taught sessions blended with a range of interactive activities (e.g. group work, problem solving using case studies, interactive quizzes, and debating key issues) and your understanding will be regularly evaluated through these methods. 

Assessment:

This module will be assessed using a case study analysis worth 50%, where you will be provided with three research problem vignettes and will be required to explain why a particular approach is most appropriate, drawing on theory and research, and a research proposal worth 50%, where you will produce a research proposal for an empirical study of your choice (relevant to researching for social justice). 

Module overview:

This module focuses on the skills necessary to support human rights advocacy and campaigning. It is designed to prepare you for the world of international human rights law in action as a practitioner in the field. The module traces the journey from individual experiences of injustice to collective empowerment and mobilization for human rights protection. The lectures in this module critically examine what drives individuals and communities to mobilize and engage in constructive change in policy and practice by drawing on international human rights laws and instruments. This module will prepare you to act as catalysts for meaningful social change in your future professional activities as advocates for human rights betterment via education and legislation. It will further enhance your employability via the opportunity to take a placement in a relevant human rights organization as part of the assessment. Alternative assessment is available for students who for legitimate reasons are unable to secure a placement.

Teaching and learning:

The module will be primarily taught via a series of workshops designed to enhance your practical skills in campaign management.

The module will also make use of placement-based learning. You will be expected to secure their own placements in a relevant human rights-related organisation. You will be supported in doing so by the University’s Careers and Employability team, who will offer a workshop on how best to secure a placement, and by the module leader. Placements must be approved by the module leader to ensure they are appropriate. Time will be set aside during seminars for placement monitoring.

The module schedule includes the university-wide career development week. During this week, you will participate in a wide range of generic and module-specific activities designed to enhance employability. Module-specific activities may include, among others, visiting speakers, careers workshops and field trips.

Assessment:

This module will be assessed using a campaign file worth 50%, you will create a document which outlines a campaign on a human rights concern of your choosing. The second assessment will be a placement with a reflective essay worth 50% and 40 placement hours. This assessment form will be marked according to two deliverables: Completion of the required placement hours (ungraded but mandatory) and submission of a reflective essay drawing on the placement experience.

Module overview:

You will come to this module having gained a grounding in the design of research through the Researching for Social Justice module. In this module, you will be supported to produce your own original and substantial empirical research project on a specialist field related to your Masters programme (in Criminology, International Relations or Human Rights).  As a student-led module (with the support of a supervisor), you will learn key skills in designing, carrying out and reflecting on a research project and presenting it appropriately. You will also develop skills in developing a non-technical briefing for policy and/or practice, based on your research findings.

Teaching and learning:

You'll learn through independent learning with support from an allocated supervisor which will involve one-to-one supervision meetings. These meetings will help develop a number of skills such as time and project management, communication skills (both verbal and in writing) and the development of critical thinking and scholarly enquiry. Broader support is provided by three webinars provided by the module convenor which relate to key milestones: ‘Getting started’, ‘Making your ethics application’ and ‘Writing up’. Additional resources will be provided via Moodle.

Assessment:

This module will be assessed using a research report worth 70%, you will identify your own research problem and design, carry out and write-up the project in a substantive piece of written work (the use of visual aids will be encouraged) and a non-technical briefing worth 30% where you will identify an appropriate audience (relevant to their discipline and topic) and produce a brief non-technical summary of your research findings and identify the key recommendations that emerge from your findings for policy and/practice.