School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Human Rights: Struggles for Global Justice
  • Unit Code

    HIS3101
  • Year

    2018
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr David Alexander ROBINSON

Description

In this unit we explore the human rights principles, such as universality, indivisibility and the interdependence of human rights and the history and continuing development of human rights. How has the idea of human rights evolved through history in the West? What perspective have non-Western societies? Who are the persons and agencies responsible for promoting, protecting and respecting human rights? The tensions between the ideal of human rights and the reality of politics is pursued through study of international law like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and regional, national, state law that reinforces these international laws. Selective studies will focus on specific human rights violations such as torture, genocide, or violence against women and the social, economic, political, ethnic and gender forces which cause them. The human rights dimensions of civil, social, political, economic and cultural issues in Australia and other countries are pursued. We seek to develop critical understanding of life situations through case studies, for example, within China and Burma.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded FAR2100, FAR3100

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Discuss Human Rights in a selected region.
  2. Discuss the theories that give meanings to human rights.
  3. Explain the historical context and the development of non-government human rights organisations and the motives that have shaped them.
  4. Explain the historical context of human rights theories and legal declarations.
  5. Identify specific human rights activists and popular movements.
  6. Relate specific human rights violations with the social, economic, political, ethnic and gender forces that cause them.

Unit Content

  1. A critical investigation of human rights decrees.
  2. A history of the idea of human rights.
  3. An analysis of factors that lead to human rights violations such as religious intolerance, genocide, torture and death penalties.
  4. An analysis of non-government human rights organisations.
  5. Focus on issues in specific countries such as China and/or Burma.
  6. Global governance: ethics; economics and political power.
  7. Specific topics on the relationships between human rights and indigenous peoples; disabled people; ethnic minorities; refugees; women and children.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU Blackboard.

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not Offered13 x 3 hour seminarNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

The teaching and learning process will combine lectures, seminars and presentations.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportResearch Report50%
ExaminationExamination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportResearch Report50%
ExaminationExamination50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

HIS3101|1|1

School: Arts and Humanities

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Human Rights: Struggles for Global Justice
  • Unit Code

    HIS3101
  • Year

    2018
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr David Alexander ROBINSON

Description

In this unit we explore the human rights principles, such as universality, indivisibility and the interdependence of human rights and the history and continuing development of human rights. How has the idea of human rights evolved through history in the West? What perspective have non-Western societies? Who are the persons and agencies responsible for promoting, protecting and respecting human rights? The tensions between the ideal of human rights and the reality of politics is pursued through study of international law like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and regional, national, state law that reinforces these international laws. Selective studies will focus on specific human rights violations such as torture, genocide, or violence against women and the social, economic, political, ethnic and gender forces which cause them. The human rights dimensions of civil, social, political, economic and cultural issues in Australia and other countries are pursued. We seek to develop critical understanding of life situations through case studies, for example, within China and Burma.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded FAR2100, FAR3100

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Discuss Human Rights in a selected region.
  2. Discuss the theories that give meanings to human rights.
  3. Explain the historical context and the development of non-government human rights organisations and the motives that have shaped them.
  4. Explain the historical context of human rights theories and legal declarations.
  5. Identify specific human rights activists and popular movements.
  6. Relate specific human rights violations with the social, economic, political, ethnic and gender forces that cause them.

Unit Content

  1. A critical investigation of human rights decrees.
  2. A history of the idea of human rights.
  3. An analysis of factors that lead to human rights violations such as religious intolerance, genocide, torture and death penalties.
  4. An analysis of non-government human rights organisations.
  5. Focus on issues in specific countries such as China and/or Burma.
  6. Global governance: ethics; economics and political power.
  7. Specific topics on the relationships between human rights and indigenous peoples; disabled people; ethnic minorities; refugees; women and children.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU Blackboard.

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 1Not Offered13 x 3 hour seminarNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECU Blackboard as well as additional ECU learning technologies.

Additional Learning Experience Information

The teaching and learning process will combine lectures, seminars and presentations.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportResearch Report50%
ExaminationExamination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ReportResearch Report50%
ExaminationExamination50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

HIS3101|1|2