Universität Wien
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140152 SE VM1 / VM8 - Operationalize the integration of human rights (2016S)

Within the work of the United Nations

7.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 14 - Orientalistik, Afrikanistik, Indologie und Tibetologie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 08.03. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 15.03. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 05.04. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 12.04. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 19.04. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 26.04. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 03.05. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 10.05. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 24.05. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 31.05. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 07.06. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 14.06. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 21.06. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03
  • Tuesday 28.06. 17:00 - 19:00 Inst. f. Afrikawissenschaften, Seminarraum 1 UniCampus Hof 5 2M-O1-03

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The United Nations is the body which aims at promoting and encouraging respect for human rights for all as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948. However, the relationship between human rights and security, peace and development has never been clear in United Nations theory and practice. There is also limited reflection on civil, political and social rights in United Nations theory and practice.

The course will focus particularly on the following elements:
1. Theoretical aspects of human rights within the context of international human rights organizations
2. Process and methods of integrating human rights in the daily work of international organizations.
3. Tools used to integrate human rights
4. Processes of negotiation and implementation of human rights within the United Nations as a practical example for the connection between theory and practice

Assessment and permitted materials

Reading of literature, group work, participation in discussions. The students will be graded on the following criteria
• Participating in discussions during the course;
• Submitting 300 words abstract of the paper that is circulated;
• Submitting a 3000 words final paper which will be graded on basis of content (25%), coherence (25%), clarity (25%) and critical thinking (25%)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The objectives of this course are:

1. Discuss the theoretical aspect of integrating human rights in development work.
Often human rights is a vague and cryptic concept which becomes difficult to implement and articulate. Even when human rights related work is carried out, reporting of this work is difficult as articulation for human rights work is quite complex. Through this course, students will gain knowledge on the scientific discourses on human rights work in development organizations. These theories have an impact on the interpretation of human rights integration and provides foundation for further learning about human rights.

2. Understand the practical dimensions of integrating human rights through processes and methods.
Practical aspects includes processes and methods for integration. The process consists of all aspects of technical cooperation programmes of international organizations. These process follows certain methods. Here the focus will be on the qualitative method of integrating human rights in international organizations. Further, other methods such as focused group discussions with target groups, expert interviews with senior management and/or in-depth interviews with other staff and stakeholders will also be discussed. This would be especially important in the work of international organizations like the United Nations.

3. Apply the theory and praxis by developing and analyzing tools used to integrate human rights.
Three tools/methods in particular will be discussed - Results-Based Management, Human Rights Based Approach and Human Rights Risk Assessment. The analysis will provide the practical knowledge of HR mainstreaming in development agencies or funding agencies. Based on the critical discussion of existing tools, students will be guided to develop ideas on new, alternative tools.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. Examine the theory of human rights as a fundament for rights-based approaches to development;
2. Identify what constitutes the methods and process of integrating human rights, be able to critically assess individual methods and tools;
3. Demonstrate a broad understanding on developing innovative methods to integrate human rights in developmental institutions;
4. Design tools and other innovating techniques to integrate human rights.
5. Understand the practical side of human rights work by knowing the processes of negotiating and implementing human rights within the United Nations framework;
6. Identify relevant United Nations bodies and its mechanism, structures and the functioning of the United Nations and the functioning of peace-keeping missions of the United Nations that are central to uphold human rights.

Examination topics

The course will follow the following methods:
• Discussion on the basis of the texts that are circulated beforehand.
• Group exercises to learn the practical aspect of integrating human rights.
• Presentations of my experiences of human rights work within the United Nations system and Civil Societies.

Reading list

Mutua, Makau. ‘Standard setting in human rights: critique and prognosis.’Human Rights Quarterly 29, no. 3 (2007): 547-630.

Hathaway, Oona A. ‘Do human rights treaties make a difference?.’ Yale Law Journal (2002): 1935-2042.

Kabasakal Arat, Zehra F. ‘Forging a global culture of human rights: Origins and prospects of the international bill of rights.’ Human Rights Quarterly 28, no. 2 (2006): 416-437.

Donnelly, Jack. ‘Human rights: a new standard of civilization?.’ International Affairs 74, no. 1 (1998): 1-23.

Sunder, Madhavi. ‘Cultural dissent.’ Stan. L. Rev. 54 (2001): 495.

Milner, Neal. ‘The denigration of rights and the persistence of rights talk: A cultural portrait.’ Law & Social Inquiry 14, no. 4 (1989): 631-675.

Howard, Rhoda. ‘Evaluating human rights in Africa: Some problems of implicit comparisons.’ Human Rights Quarterly (1984): 160-179.

Gupta, Akhil, Aradhana Sharma, Arun Agrawal, Veronique Benei, John Clarke, John EcheverriGent, John Gledhill et al. ‘Globalization and postcolonial states.’Current anthropology 47, no. 2 (2006): 277-307.

Wiles, Ellen. ‘Headscarves, human rights, and harmonious multicultural society: Implications of the French ban for interpretations of equality.’ Law & Society Review 41, no. 3 (2007): 699-736.

Muchlinski, Peter T. ‘Human rights and multinationals: is there a problem?.’International Affairs 77, no. 1 (2001): 31-48.

Murray, Rachel. ‘International Human Rights: Neglect of Perspective from African Institutions.’ Int'l & Comp. LQ 55 (2006): 193.

Sanders, James R. ‘Mainstreaming evaluation.’ New Directions for Evaluation2003, no. 99 (2003): 3-6.

Simon, David. ‘Separated by common ground? Bringing (post) development and (post) colonialism together.’ The Geographical Journal 172, no. 1 (2006): 10-21.

Dubow, Saul. ‘Smuts, the United Nations and the Rhetoric of Race and Rights.’Journal of Contemporary History 43, no. 1 (2008): 45-74.

Sarfaty, Galit A. ‘Why Culture Matters in International Institutions: The Marginality of Human Rights at the World Bank.’ American Journal of International Law (2009): 647-683.

Terretta, Meredith. ‘‘ We Had Been Fooled into Thinking that the UN Watches over the Entire World’: Human Rights, UN Trust Territories, and Africa's Decolonization.’ Human Rights Quarterly 34, no. 2 (2012): 329-360.

Darrow, Mac, and Louise Arbour. ‘The pillar of glass: human rights in the development operations of the United Nations.’ American journal of international law (2009): 446-501.

Mégret, Frédéric, and Florian Hoffman. ‘UN as a Human Rights Violator-Some Reflections on the United Nations Changing Human Rights Responsibilities, The.’ Hum. Rts. Q. 25 (2003): 314.

Forsythe, David P. ‘The United Nations, human rights, and development. ‘Human Rights Quarterly 19, no. 2 (1997): 334-349.

This is not an exhaustive list. There will be more texts which will be circulated.

Association in the course directory

VM1, VM8

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:34