308194 (v.1) Human Rights, Civil Society and Governance 508

Area:

Faculty of Education, Language Studies and Social Work

Credits:

25.0

Contact Hours:

2.0

Seminar:

1 x 2 Hours Weekly

Syllabus:

Ideas of democracy and civil society and their relationship to human rights, transitions to pluralist democracy in post-colonial era, the nature and the role of Non Government Organisations (NGOs), the role of the private sector and its accountability for human rights, processes to ensure government and community accountability, post-conflict mechanisms for dealing with human rights violations (for example, truth and reconciliation commissions).

Unit Outcomes:

On completion of this unit students will have a thorough understanding of - relationships of human rights to ideas and processes of democracy and civil society. Apply human rights to ideas and processes of democracy and civil society. Apply human rights principles in contexts where communities or nations may be experiencing transition to democracy- or where newly emerging ideas of human rights may conflict with perceived cultural traditions. They will be able to use understandings of the link between rights and responsibilities to assist in the establishment of mechanisms of accountability.

Text and references listed above are for your information only and current as of September 30, 2003. Please check with the unit coordinator for up-to-date information.

Unit References:

Beetham, D, (1999), Democracy and Human Rights, Cambridge, Polity Press. Hesse, C. and Post, R. (eds) (1999), Human Rights in Political Transitions: Gettysburg to Bosnia, Zone Brooks, Transitions. Koh, H. and Slye, R (eds) (1999), Deliberative Democracy and Human Rights, New Haven, Yale University Press. Woodisiwss, A., (1998), Globalisation, Human Rights and Labour Law in Pacific Asia, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Unit Texts:

No prescribed texts.

Unit Assessment Breakdown:

Essay 80%, Presentation 20%. This is by grade/mark assessment.

Year	Location	Period	Internal	Area External	Central External
2004	Bentley Campus	Semester 2	Y