Law

Human Rights 1: International and Regional Frameworks

Module code: M5057
Level 6
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Seminar
Assessment modes: Essay

Do human rights help make the world a better place, and how can we best use them? These are key questions explored in this module.
The module considers:
  • the development of the UN system from the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 to the multi-faceted and complex system that it is today
  • the parallel development of regional systems of rights protection, covering Europe, the Americas and Africa
  • the relationship between legal norms and politics and the role of different forms of advocacy (both political and legal).

Module learning outcomes

  • Evidence a coherent and detailed knowledge of major human rights institutions and frameworks.
  • Systematically understand the protection of rights within these institutions and frameworks
  • Critically evaluate and engage with contemporary challenges and debates within the field of human rights law and advocacy.
  • Demonstrate the ability to construct and sustain arguments with reference to both the law and politics of human rights.