Module Identifier
CR31120
Module Title
CRIMINOLOGY OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Academic Year
2008/2009
Co-ordinator
Professor Christopher S P Harding
Semester
Semester 2
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 30hrs: 1 x 2hr session and 2 x 1hr sessions per week
Lecture 30hrs: 1 x 2hr session and 2 x 1hr sessions per week
Seminars / Tutorials 6hrs: 3 x 2hr sessions
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 1000 word essay to be submitted at end of appropriate semester  50%
Semester Exam 1.5 Hours   1.5hr exam at end of appropriate semester  50%
Supplementary Assessment 1000 word essay to be submitted at end of appropriate semester  50%
Supplementary Exam 1.5 Hours   1.5hr exam at end of appropriate semester  50%

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students should be able to.
1. Show a critical understanding of the areas of state use of force and other human rights violations.
2. Critically assess the activities involved and their effects on society both nationally and internationally.
3. Analyse and evaluate the reasons for violations at individual and group levels.
4 Critically assess the legal control and enforcement of the activities and consider the effect of these interventions on society both nationally and internationally.
5. Critically assess the physical mechanisms for control and enforcement of the activities and consider the effect of these interventions on society both nationally and internationally.
6. Critically assess moral, political, popular and media discourses on human rights violations.
7. Evaluate whether the reasons for the violations and the way in which they are addressed is logical and likely to reduce such violations.
8. Evaluate the influence of alterations in legal and political power and the structure of international society on the causes of human rights violations.
9. Evaluate the influence of alterations in legal and political power and the structure of international society on perceptions of the problem and means of dealing with it.
10. Relate the conceptual ideas discussed on the module to specific case studies.

Brief description

Module rationale and content

1 Academic rationale of the proposal:
This module provides an analytical foundation for an understanding of the criminology of human rights and human rights violations and for an analysis of their legal, political and moral contexts.

2 Brief Description:
The module will consider human rights atrocities and violations of human rights by states, state agents and other actors throughout the world. It will concentrate on reasons for and explanations of the violations both at individual and group levels. It will analyse the effectiveness of national and international legal controls and study the enforcement mechanisms utilized by both national and international agents to prevent, control and punish such activities. It also introduces students to the moral discourses involved and to an assessment of the practical effects of these violations both nationally and more broadly.

3 Content:
Context
Use of force by state agents
State violence
Terrorism
Genocide
Other human rights violations by states and other actors.

Reasons for Human Rights Violations by States
Political
Group
Race, culture and religion
Individual

Legal Prohibitions on Human Rights Breaches and Mechanisms for Enforcement
National
International

Other Means of Control
Moral
Political
Media
Popular

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Understanding and evaluating relevant quantitative research data will be a small part of the module
Communication Oral communication skills will be encouraged in and honed in seminars and also in lectures through interactive learning - not assessed. Written communication skills will be practised through note taking both in lectures and private study and in formal submission of written work in assignments and examinations
Improving own Learning and Performance Students will be encouraged to practise and test their own learning and ability to use and interact with the materials through interactive leaning in both lectures and seminars.
Information Technology Preparation for seminars, the assignments and the examination will all require use of the library databases and other electronic databases. Students will be referred to useful urls and be encouraged to retrieve data electronically - not assessed. Students will be encouraged to prepare their assignment electronically - not assessed.
Personal Development and Career planning Enhanced capacity for independent and critical thought. Good time-management skills in preparing for seminars and submitting work on time - not assessed.
Problem solving Much of the module involves the study of theories developed to explain certain types of behaviour. It also includes consideration of present means of control. Students will have to assess these and combine them to solve specific case studies.
Research skills Criminology necessarily involves an interdisciplinary approach therefore students will be introduced to research tools in a number of different subject areas. They will be supported and encouraged to build research skills over these areas. They will be encouraged to read widely and to locate materials both in the library and on-line.
Subject Specific Skills
Team work This will be developed through exercises in preparation for and during seminars and in exercises and problems set in lectures.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6