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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "PL 230"
COURSE NAME: "Human Rights"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2016
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Silvia Scarpa
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS: by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course focuses on understanding what human rights are and what are the challenges to their realization. Students will examine what specific protections ought to be granted to vulnerable groups, like women, children, stateless persons, refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons. The special challenges related to the protection of human rights in an age of globalization, and the challenges to human rights protection posed by terrorism and its consequences are also analyzed. An interdisciplinary approach will be used to examine different cases and understand the main human rights issues at stake.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course will begin with an introduction to the nature and source of human rights, it will analyze their universality, and it will continue examining the specific challenges posed by globalization to the specific realization of economic and social rights and by terrorism to the one of civil rights. The protection that needs to be granted to vulnerable groups, including inter alia women, children, refugees and asylum seekers will be analyzed and specific human rights will be studied. Dilemmas arising in case of conflicts among human rights will also be taken into consideration. An interdisciplinary approach will be used to understand the main human rights issues at stake in all these circumstances.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By completing this course students are expected to be able to understand and properly refer to the international human rights regime, its historical development and its main achievements, to critically analyze the main official documents in this field and to recognize the challenges that it still has to face. Finally, they will have conducted group work and research on a specific topic of their choice for the purpose of drafting an advocacy plan. 
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Human Rights: Politics and PracticeMichael GoodheartOxford University Press9780199608287     
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTSJack DonnellyWestview PRESS9780813343266     
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Mid-term ExamEssay questions.25%
Advocacy PlanGroup work + essay 25%
Final Exam Essay questions.25%
Oral presentationIn-class oral presentation of group work.15%
Class ParticipationAttendance is compulsory and students shall participate to class discussions.10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the cours
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Students are expected to attend classes regularly, to read assigned reading materials before classes and to contribute to class discussions.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

WEEK

 

TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED

 

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Week 1 (January 19 and 21)











Introduction to the Course. What are human rights (HR)?

Donnelly, Ch. 2 and Appendix (UDHR); Goodhart, Introduction and Ch. 1.

Week 2 (January 26 and 28)

 

January 25: last day for late registration/last day to drop or add classes.

 Human rights in international law: universal and regional multilateral mechanisms.

Donnelly, Ch. 5, 6 and 7; Goodhart, Ch. 4.

Week 3 (February 2 and 4)

 Con’t.

 

The (Relative) Universality of Human Rights.

 

 

Donnelly, Ch. 3. 

 

Week 4 (February 9 and 11)

Feminist and Activists Approaches to Human Rights

 

Goodhart, Ch. 2.

Week 5 (February 16 and 18)

Child rights and child marriage.

 General Summary.

 

February 18th: Mid-term exam.

Goodhart, Ch. 12; World Vision Report.

 

 

Week 6 (February 23 and 25)

 

The death penalty: abolitionists versus retentionist countries, arguments for and against it. 

AI Report 2013, p. 3-11 and 48-51; AI Campaigning Toolkit; Bedau & Cassell, Chapter 7. 

Week 7 (March 1 and 3)

 

Trafficking in persons, the smuggling of migrants.

 

 

Human Rights and Forced Migration.

 

 

 

Goodhard, ch. 15. Bhabha and Zard; Gallagher.

 

 

 

Goodhart, Ch. 13; UNHCR_Refugees v. migrants, p.  4-11; 16-21; 25-29. 

 

 

 

Week 8 (March 8 and 10)

Gender-based violence: pre-natal sex selection.

 

Bumgarner (focus on parts II, III and IV); Dickens.

Week 9 (March 15 and 17)

The right to the environment and the right to water.

 

 

Goodhart, Vh. 22; Meier and Others.

Week 10 (March 22 and 24)

Globalization, Development, the State and HR.

 

 MARCH 24th: DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSION OF ADVOCACY PLANS. 

Donnelly, Ch. 14. Freeman, p. 176 - 200.

Week 11 (March 29 and 31)

 

SPRING BREAK

 

Week 12 (April 5 and 7)

 Terrorism, torture and HR.

 

 

Donnelly, Ch. 15. Schulz.

 

Week 13 (April 12 and 14)

Human rights in the Twenty-First Century

 

Goodhart, Ch. 20; Freeman, p. 201 - 206.

Week 14 (April 19 and 21)

Students’ presentations.

 

 

Week 15 (April 26 and 28)

Con’t and final summary.

 

 

Week 16 (April 30 - May 6)

Final exam

Date TBA