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Social Sciences School of Law

LA320 Comparative Human Rights

LA320-15 Comparative Human Rights

Academic year
23/24
Department
School of Law
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Daniel Lowe
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

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Introductory description

n/a.

Module web page

Module aims

This module is designed to provide students with an introduction to human rights discourse and human rights law from a multidisciplinary and comparative perspective. Through the reading and discussion of political and philosophical as well as legal materials, the module offers a contextual approach to human rights rather than a purely legalistic one. It covers the development of the contemporary idea of human rights since World War II, challenges to that idea, the institutional legal machinery created for the protection of human rights, including international law (the UN system and regional systems such as the European and the American systems) and national law (some domestic constitutional systems) adopting a critical and comparative perspective. The module also highlights the conceptual complexity around some relevant human rights issues, such as universalism, duties, state sovereignty, indivisibility of rights, and so on. Throughout the course topical and controversial human rights issues and themes are discussed.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

freedom of expression
freedom from torture
liberty
freedom of religion
the right to a fair trial

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Demonstrate full comprehension of the main sources of international and domestic human rights law
  • Critically analyse the role of law in the protection of human rights
  • Critically compare and evaluate different systems for the protection of human rights
  • Demonstrate an awareness of the controversies and difficulties surrounding the idea of human rights and its effective protection in the real world

Indicative reading list

DONNELLY, J. (2013) Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice (3rd ed., Cornell University Press: Ithaca) FREEMAN, M. (2011) Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Approach (2nd ed., Polity: Cambridge)
NICKEL, J. (2007) Making Sense of Human Rights, (2nd ed., Wiley-Blackwell: Malden)

International

This module compares human rights across multiple international jurisdictions with case studies from across the world.

Subject specific skills

No subject specific skills defined for this module.

Transferable skills

No transferable skills defined for this module.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 18 sessions of 1 hour (12%)
Seminars 7 sessions of 1 hour (5%)
Private study 125 hours (83%)
Total 150 hours

Private study description

No private study requirements defined for this module.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group A2
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
2500 Word Essay 70% No

Students will write 2500 words on one from a selected list of topics
Reflective journal 30% No

This reflective piece must be submitted in electronic form. There is no set word limit, but students might like to consider approximately 500 words per week.
Feedback on assessment

Feedback via Tabula

Courses

This module is Optional for:

  • UIBA-MN34 Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of MN34 Law and Business Studies Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of MN34 Law and Business Studies Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M130 Undergraduate Law
  • ULAA-M300 Undergraduate Law
    • Year 2 of M300 Law
    • Year 3 of M300 Law
  • ULAA-M105 Undergraduate Law (3 year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 2 of M105 Law (3 year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of M105 Law (3 year) (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M131 Undergraduate Law (4 Year)
  • ULAA-M106 Undergraduate Law (4 year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 2 of M106 Law (4 year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of M106 Law (4 year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of M106 Law (4 year) (Qualifying Degree)
  • ULAA-M104 Undergraduate Law (Year Abroad)
    • Year 2 of M104 Law (Year Abroad)
    • Year 4 of M104 Law (Year Abroad)
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M132 Undergraduate Law (Year Abroad)
  • ULAA-M108 Undergraduate Law (Year Abroad) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 2 of M108 Law (Year Abroad) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of M108 Law (Year Abroad) (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 3 of UIBA-MN31 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
  • UIBA-MN32 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
    • Year 3 of MN32 Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
    • Year 4 of MN32 Law and Business Studies (Four-Year)
  • UIBA-MN37 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies (Qualifying Degree) with Intercalated Year
    • Year 2 of MN37 Law and Business Studies (Qualifying Degree) with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of MN37 Law and Business Studies (Qualifying Degree) with Intercalated Year
    • Year 5 of MN37 Law and Business Studies (Qualifying Degree) with Intercalated Year
  • UIBA-MN36 Undergraduate Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (4+1)
    • Year 2 of MN36 Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (4+1)
    • Year 4 of MN36 Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (4+1)
    • Year 5 of MN36 Law and Business Studies with Intercalated Year (4+1)
  • Year 3 of ULAA-ML33 Undergraduate Law and Sociology
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M133 Undergraduate Law with French Law
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M10A Undergraduate Law with French Law (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M134 Undergraduate Law with German Law
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M10C Undergraduate Law with German Law (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 3 of ULAA-M110 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (3 Year)
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M136 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (3 Year)
  • ULAA-M113 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (4 Year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 2 of M113 Law with Humanities (4 year) (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of M113 Law with Humanities (4 year) (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 2 of ULAA-M115 Undergraduate Law with Social Sciences (3 Year) (Qualifying Degree)
  • UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 3 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
  • Year 4 of UPHA-V7MX Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law (with Intercalated Year)

This module is Unusual option for:

  • UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 2 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
    • Year 3 of V7MW Politics, Philosophy and Law
  • Year 4 of UPHA-V7MX Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law (with Intercalated Year)

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 4 of ULAA-M10A Undergraduate Law with French Law (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 4 of ULAA-M10C Undergraduate Law with German Law (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 4 of ULAA-M113 Undergraduate Law with Humanities (4 Year) (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 3 of ULAA-M115 Undergraduate Law with Social Sciences (3 Year) (Qualifying Degree)

This module is Option list B for:

  • ULAA-ML34 BA in Law and Sociology (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of ML34 Law and Sociology (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of ML34 Law and Sociology (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 5 of ULAA-ML35 BA in Law and Sociology (Qualifying Degree) (with Intercalated year)
  • Year 4 of ULAA-ML33 Undergraduate Law and Sociology

This module is Option list E for:

  • Year 2 of UPHA-V7MW Undergraduate Politics, Philosophy and Law