HUMR5131 - Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights
Course content
This course provides an introduction to the history, philosophy and politics of human rights. It offers a presentation of the early history of human rights thinking and practices, and addresses in detail the historical evolution of the modern human rights system. The course also examines philosophical positions and debates on the legitimacy and justification of universal human rights, and critiques from philosophical and social sciences perspectives. The students will examine the status, functions, and uses of human rights in international relations, comparative analysis of human rights practices in different regimes types, human rights networking across borders, and the grounding of human rights in different cultures and normative traditions.
Learning outcome
This course will provide the student with a good understanding of basic features of the modern human rights system, including standard justifications and criticisms, of the relationships between human rights and comprehensive moral and political doctrines, and of how they relate to moral and cultural relativism. You will understand the complex, dynamic, and sometimes ambiguous ways human rights promotion operate in transnational, international, and domestic contexts.
Admission
Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.
International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master's programme at UiO. All applicants must fill the formal prerequisites.
Priority is given to students on the Master of Philosophy programme in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Id does not exist in shared textRecommended previous knowledge
Students with no background in human rights studies are strongly advised to prepare in advance the recommended readings.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with HUMR4130 - Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights (discontinued), 10 credits overlap with HUMR1130 - Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights (discontinued), 5 credits overlap with ISSJF4711 - Human Rights and 10 credits overlap with HUMR5130 - Introduction to the History, Philosophy and Politics of Human Rights (discontinued).Teaching
Lectures and seminars with active student participation.
Access to teaching
Id does not exist in shared textExamination
Home assignment with a maximum of 5000 words.
A mid-term paper should be handed in in the middle of the semester, with a maximum of 3500 words. Delivery of the mid-term paper is mandatory. Students who fail or do not deliver the mid-term paper will not be allowed to deliver the home assignment.
Students are awarded either a passing or a failing grade on the mid-term paper.
Use of sources and rules for citing.
Be sure that you are familiar with the use of sources and the rules for citing/quoting from others’ work
UiO uses a plagiarism checking tool as one of several instruments for detecting suspicion of cheating and attempted cheating.
Examination support material
Id does not exist in shared textAll exam resources allowed
Language of examination
Id does not exist in shared textEnglish.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
You may request an explanation of your grades, and you may also appeal against your grades or make a complaint about formal examination errors. Read more about explanations and appeals.
Resit an examination
You can usually resit an exam, but the conditions depend on whether you had a valid reason for absence from the regular exam. Read more about resitting an exam.
If a student has submitted a written assignment a second time in the same course s/he can only submit it in a new version. This means that there must be another title and theme, or that the new version must be considerably changed from the first version.
Students who wish to retake the exam in a later semester must also deliver and pass the mid-term essay, even if they have submitted and passed the mid-term essay earlier. Students who wish to retake the exam in a later semester are not guaranteed that the course is ever repeated with a similar reading list, nor that the exam arrangement will be the same.
Withdrawal from an examination
Id does not exist in shared textA student can sit for this exam up to 3 times. If a student wishes to withdraw from the exam, s/he must do this in StudentWeb at least two weeks prior to the first day of the exam. Failure to do so will be counted as one of the three opportunities to sit for the exam.
A study programme may have rules that further limit the number of times a student may re-take this exam. In such instances the rules of the study programme will have priority.
Special examination arrangements
If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.
Please se Detailed regulations for the Faculty of Law, Chapter 3 regarding application, responsibilities and special measures.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, periodic evaluation of this course.