Studying online (if an online offering is shown below)
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
Ideas shaping contemporary Human Rights have deep historical roots, drawing on religious and secular ethics, morality and social justice in various societies and cultures. This unit asks: how did Human Rights evolve? Are Human Rights the product of a peculiarly European heritage, or is its moral, cultural, and political basis far wider than this? In what ways are Human Rights different from individual rights, legal rights and civil rights? Did human rights serve as a 'civilizing' mask for colonialism, and what has been the relationship between decolonisation and the question of rights? We examine the impact of the American and French Revolutions on the advancement of ideas about human rights, and how other threads such as the law, the Cold War, Apartheid, and the 'War on Terror' have undermined them. We also examine the impacts of slavery, imperialism, war, and genocide, as well as responses to them, and global movements such as civil, indigenous, women's, and minority rights, and the rise of the modern human rights movement. On the completion of the unit students should have honed applicable skills such as: critical thinking and analysis; comprehension and application of knowledge; and research, written and communication skills.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
(see Timetable) Availability Location Mode Semester 2 UWA (Perth) Face to face Semester 2 Albany Face to face - Details for undergraduate courses
- Level 1 core unit in the Human Rights major sequence
- Level 1 option in the History major sequence
- Level 1 elective
- Outcomes
Students are able to (1) identify the key moments and international instruments in the establishment of the contemporary human rights regime; (2) critically analyse the key issues and debates around the emergence of ideas concerning 'rights' and the specific development of the contested concept of 'human rights'; (3) interpret historical representations of human rights; (4) undertake original research to apply key course concepts; and (5) critically analyse the concepts raised in lectures and tutorials and identify them in the assigned readings.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) research essay; (2) reflective assignment; and (3) tutorial performance. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Associate Professor Ethan Blue
- Contact hours
- 3hrs per week for up to 12 weeks
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.