Human rights and global politics are intimately related. This module introduces students to this relationship by exploring some of the most complex and controversial challenges that sit at the nexus of international human rights law and international politics.
The module is comprised of two sections. The first section introduces students to the foundations of international human rights law and examines its role and relevance in contemporary international politics. Students will explore the United Nations system, the precise nature and scope of state obligations under international human rights law, and how human rights are used and abused in world politics. Questions to be unpacked and examined include: What is international law and how does it work in practice? Who are the ‘rights holders’ and ‘duty bearers’ under international human rights law? Who or what is responsible for enforcing international human rights law? How effective is the system of international human rights law for promoting human well-being, and what alternative paradigms exist?
The second section examines five thematic challenges to human rights that sit at the nexus of international law and international politics. The specific topical focus is subject to variation depending on developments in international human rights and the interests of the class, but may include: the politics of poverty and development; human rights and humanitarian law during wartime; the relationship between sovereignty, borders, migration and human rights; and the human rights responsibilities of corporations and other businesses.
This module is for anyone interested in the role and relevance of international human rights law, and in particular how international human rights law works in practice. Please note however, this is an advanced module and students should be prepared to read and engage with such materials as international human rights treaties, United Nations Security Council resolutions, and international case law from judicial and quasi-judicial organs such as the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Students should be familiar with the leading concepts and theories of international relations, although they are not required to have a legal background or any legal experience.
Learning Outcomes: Upon completion of the course, students should have:

- Foundational understanding of the contemporary framework of international human rights law

- A strong grasp of both the promises and challenges of international human rights law

- Critical analysis of the role and relevance of international human rights law in international politics

-Identification and critical engagement with some of the principle challenges facing international human rights law as well as the corresponding methods that exist to address these challenges

- The ability to identify and distinguish between international human rights law and the international politics that underpin and inform human rights

- An understanding of the role of states and non-state actors in the realisation of human rights

- An understanding of how international politics can promote or impede the realisation of human rights.