HU201-5-SP-CO:
Social Dimensions of Human Rights
PLEASE NOTE: This module is inactive. Visit the Module Directory to view modules and variants offered during the current academic year.
2023/24
Human Rights Centre (Essex Law School)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Inactive
Monday 15 January 2024
Friday 22 March 2024
15
16 November 2021
Requisites for this module
HU100
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This 10 week module is an introduction to Sociology and Human Rights. It does not assume any prior understanding of sociology.
Section 1 - Sociological theory and humn rights
We begin with an introductory lecture which looks at what classical sociological thinking might have to offer an understanding of human rights, and also consider some criticisms. We then move on in the second week to consider two competing contemporary attempts to formulate a sociology of rights, and in the third week to consider the problem of universalism versus relativism - that is, what does sociology have to say about different cultural values and perspectives in relation to universal rights? This section then ends with a look at the concept of cosmopolitanism, which challenges conceptions of society as bounded by the nation state and leads on to section 2.
Section 2 - Rights across borders
This second section of the module considers a more substantive question which can help to illuminate a sociological approach to rights, and that is the question of rights across borders. We begin with the position of trans-national migrants as compared with the citizens of host countries. Citizenship is the status that grants full membership of society and full rights, so an interesting question is how far universal human rights can over-come state sovereignty in the granting of rights to non-citizens. We consider this question in relation to the graduated system of rights which characterise most immigration regime, 'civic stratification', and look at specific examples related to gender and immigration, and to asylum seekers. Then we consider the other side of rights across borders by asking what rich countries owe to poor ones, and consider the implications of this material for debates about cosmopolitanism.
Conclusion - Researching meaning and agency
In the final week we will look at more practical questions of how to research human rights in a sociological manner, especially focussing on qualitative approaches to questions of meaning and agency. We take examples from a variety of scholars researching a range of different HRs issues.
No information available.
A good understanding of the nature of a sociological approach to human rights
Some sense of what the concept of social construction means in relation to rights
A grasp of what relativism means in relation to rights
An understanding of the concept of civic stratification in relation to rights
An ability to apply it to the example of a) gender and migration, and b) asylum and welfare
An understanding of what is at issue in addressing global inequality
A grasp of some basic issues in relation to methods for researching meaning and agency in relation to human rights
No additional information available.
This module is taught through a mixture of pre-recorded lectures and 10 weekly 50-minute small group tutorials. Each week before your tutorials, the module teaching team will make available on Moodle two or more pre-recorded video lectures that they have prepared and produced. In total, the duration of each week’s video lectures will be approximately 50 minutes.
In most teaching weeks, you will be expected to have watched these lectures before the tutorials, although some of these lectures may be designed to be watched after the tutorials to recap on material discussed there.The module teaching team will also produce and make available on Moodle short guidance notes for each weekly tutorial. These notes will introduce the readings that must be completed in advance of each tutorial and will contain tips to help you understand and analyse those texts.
You will be expected to have completed the readings in advance of your tutorials. Your tutorials will enable you to discuss the readings in the context of specific tutorial questions, to obtain feedback on your pre-class preparation and to deepen your understanding of key concepts.To help you prepare in the best possible way for your tutorials, you will be completing regular small assessed activities to enable you to reflect upon and track your progress, understand what you are doing well, and give you clear feedback to help you manage your studies and your progress.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ms. Rosa Sansone
Law UG Education Administrators - schooloflawug@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
No
Dr Panagiotis Kapotas
Available via Moodle
Of 244 hours, 18 (7.4%) hours available to students:
226 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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