MVZ478 Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2015
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Vladimir Dordevic, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Petr Suchý, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Mon 18:45–20:15 U42
Prerequisites
This course is intended to provide students with comprehensive information concerning post-conflict transformation from the perspective of human rights. Therefore, the course will provide insight into: 1- Basic tenets of Human Rights (HRs) in theory and history; 2- Contemporary international and domestic procedures and devices for promoting and protecting HRs (point of view of procedural and practical aspects); 3- HRs in relation to post-conflict transformation (case-study approach; international and domestic strategies of promotion and protection of human rights in states undergoing political transition).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 35 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/35, only registered: 0/35
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Students attending the course will gain knowledge in HRs in post-conflict societies undergoing process of overall societal transformation. In that respect, they will be instructed into (1) basic tenets of HRs in theory and history, (2) contemporary international and domestic procedures and devices for promoting and protecting HRs, and, last but not least, (3) international and domestic strategies for promotion and protection of human rights in post-conflict states undergoing political transition. Therefore, students will gain insight not only into theory on HRs, but also into contemporary policies and mechanisms for promotion and protection of HRs in general and will also be instructed in major HR issues in post-conflict societies as well.
Syllabus
  • Program: 1- Introduction (general info on the course) 2- Human Rights in Theory I Required readings: Donnelly, Jack. 2013. Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 7-40. 3- Human Rights in Theory II Required readings: Donnelly, Jack. 2013. Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 40-71. 4- Human Rights in History Required readings: Donnelly, Jack. 2013. Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 75-93. 5- Human Rights in Contemporary Practice I Required readings: Kälin, Walter, and Jörg Künzli. 2009. The Law of International Human Rights Protection. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 183-238. 6- Human Rights in Contemporary Practice II Required readings: Kälin, Walter, and Jörg Künzli. 2009. The Law of International Human Rights Protection. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 238-273. 7- Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies I: The Case of Former Yugoslavia Background info: BBC documentary ‘The Death of Yugoslavia’ is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzvNZz-X-50 (please follow all six links for the complete documentary) Required readings: Final periodic report on the situation of human rights in the territory of the former Yugoslavia submitted by Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki, UN Economic and Social Council, 1995, pp. 1-20. Human Rights World Report 2014, pp. 424-430 and 482-492. 8- Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies II: The Case of South East Asia Background info: Lucélia Santos’ documentary ‘Timor Lorosae, The Unseen Massacre’ is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXldegFUfGE (please follow all links for the complete documentary) Required readings: Periodic Report on Human Rights Developments in Timor-Leste, United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste, 2010, pp. 3-30. Timor-Leste 2012 Human Rights Report, US Department of State, pp. 1-18. 9- Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies III: The Case of Central and East Africa Background info: PBS documentary ‘Ghosts of Rwanda’ is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze14hD2k_T0 Required readings: Report on the situation of human rights in Rwanda submitted by Mr. René Degni-Ségui, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights, UN Economic and Social Council, 1996, pp. 5-36. Human Rights World Report 2014, pp. 155-160. 10- Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies IV: The Case of Western Asia Background info: BBC documentary ‘A Decade of War in Iraq’ is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHsmBbpj600 Required readings: “Iraqi Voices” report, International Center for Transitional Justice and the Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley, 2004, pp. i-iv and viii-x. Report on Human Rights in Iraq: July-December 2012, UNAMI Human Rights Office/OHCHR Baghdad, 2013, pp. 1-36. 11- Human Rights in Post-Conflict Societies V: The Case of South Asia Background info: Channel 4 documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz_eCLcp1Mc Required readings: Sri Lanka 2013 Human Rights Report, US Department of State, pp. 1-56. 12- Course wrap-up: Concluding remarks (1/2) and Final exam (2/2)
Teaching methods
1) Students are expected to attend lectures and only those who have attended 60% of lectures (7 lectures) will be allowed to sit the Final exam. On the other hand, students are invited to contribute actively in discussions if they wish to do so. Active participation is recommended but not obligatory! Those actively contributing by asking questions, discussing issues at hand, and participating in group work (depending on a topic) will be granted additional points at the end of the course and will have a chance of achieving a better grade. 2) Students are expected to read all Required readings and it will be assumed that students have read them (31 pages per week). The first and the last seminars have no readings assigned. Last but not least, students are asked to address sources of Background information themselves so as to get acquainted with case studies at hand. It will be assumed that students have done so before attending seminars. These are listed as important sources of additional information on topics at hand, and students should consult them so as to be properly prepared for the seminars and discussions. Background information is provided in form of selected documentaries on topics at hand. 3) Students are required to write 6 short position papers (cca. 3600-4200 characters, i.e. 2-2.5 pages) for seminars of their choice. Position papers should include a Summary of main points of required readings, a Critique of these readings and Questions for discussion. Thus, position papers must have three clearly identified sections: 1. Summary, 2. Critique and 3. Questions. Position papers that do not meet this requirement will be rejected and no points will be awarded. It shall be noted that the second section, the one of Critique, is deemed the most important because it reflects one’s personal stance on issue(s) at hand, thus this section needs to be the longest one in a position paper (i.e. not less than one page and not more than page and a half long). Position papers should be inserted into a proper Folder in “Student Papers” (according to the seminar dates) in IS (Information System) not later than 30 hours before designated lecture. Uploading papers into IS later than required will result in 3 points being deducted thus maximum points reached on that particular paper would be 7. 4) Final in-class exam is to be passed by all students at the end of the course.
Assessment methods
The final grade will be calculated as a composite evaluation of two parts: 1) 6 position papers>> each max. 10 points, i.e. 6 x 10 points= total 60 points; 2) Final exam>> 2 questions x max. 7 points (2 x 7) +2 questions x max.5 points (2 x 5) + 1 question x max.1 point (1 x 1) = 14+10+1= total 25 points. Maximum: 85 points. Pass: 55 points (65 %). **Points for activity during lectures (discussions) will be awarded only to the active students before the Final exam at the end of the course. Students active on or more than 70% of discussions= 12 points; those active on 30% - 70% of discussions= 6 points; and those active on less than 20% of discussions= 0 points. *Grades: A> 80 – 85 points B> 74 – 79 points C> 68 – 73 points D> 62 – 67 points E> 55 – 61 points F> less than 55 points
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2014, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2015, recent)
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