Spring 2021 - POL 330 D100

Protecting Human Rights: Courts, Constitutions and Legislatures (4)

Class Number: 5265

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 11 – Apr 16, 2021: Thu, 12:30–2:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Apr 23, 2021
    Fri, 5:29–5:29 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

How can we best protect human rights? How do we define what is a human right and what is not? We examine these questions within countries and at the international level. We will look at the courts-based approach versus systems that give politicians the final say. Students with credit for POL 339 Selected Topics in Comparative Government and Politics under the title Protecting Human Rights may not take this course for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

Course Description:

How can we best protect human rights? How do we define what is a human right and what is not? We will examine these questions at the domestic and international level. First, we will compare how different countries grapple with the trade-offs between the public interest and individual rights. We will look at the courts-based approach (e.g. in Canada and the US), systems which give politicians the final say (e.g. the UK) and Indigenous rights. We will also assess critiques of the human rights paradigm.

We will then move this debate to the international level: examining the impact of treaties, such as the Genocide Convention, and courts, such as the International Criminal Court. Throughout this course you will look at the big picture: is “human rights” a useful concept, and if so, which systems best protect rights? You will also examine the content of human rights law, giving you skills in interpreting legal texts and applying legal principles to individual cases. Throughout the semester, you will work on your own research project, with classes on research design and peer review of each other’s drafts.

Course Organization:

Each week, classes will have three elements:

1) a pre-recorded lecture (1-1.5 hrs) – you choose when you listen to it

2) a 1-1.5 hr Zoom session with the instructor, during scheduled class time. You will complete small group exercises working with lecture material, and prepare for your research papers and the final exam.

3) there will also be drop-in tutorials with the TA, on Zoom. These will be at the scheduled tutorial time, but are optional: use them to get help on your paper and to ask questions about the week’s readings.

Grading

  • Participation (during Zoom class with instructor and on Canvas discussion boards) 10%
  • Research Proposal & Annotated Bibliography 15%
  • Peer Reviews of Draft Research Papers 5%
  • Research Paper inc. memo responding to peer review 35%
  • Take-Home Final Exam due April 23, 2021 @ 5:29 PM 35%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Goodhart, Michael (ed.) (2016). Human Rights: Politics and Practice, 3rd ed.  Oxford University Press.

Digital copies available through the SFU Bookstore website.


ISBN: 9780198708766

Department Undergraduate Notes:

The Department of Political Science strictly enforces a policy on plagiarism.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SPRING 2021

Teaching at SFU in spring 2021 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).