Human Rights and Political Violence

Course Content:

Conceptions of self and other are deeply embedded in violent conflict, an activity which
typically results in the most egregious violations of human rights. Highly polarised
identities often sit uneasily with a universal humanity.

Based on the broad theme of the universal versus the particular, this module explores
the interaction between identity, violent conflict and the abuse of human rights. It
provides students with the opportunity to consider how protracted conflicts may be
better resolved more effectively and human rights better protected.

The module blends theoretical discussion of political violence with an analysis of recent
conflicts and the legal and institutional mechanisms which have emerged to reduce their
detrimental impact on human rights.

AUTUMN SEMESTER: The Particular: Identity Politics and Violent Conflict

Topics covered include:
? Why Fight? Thinking about violent conflicts
? Self and Other: The politics of identity
? Thinking About Identity: (I) Primordialism and ethno-nationalism, (II)
Instrumentalism, and (III) Constructivism
? Managing and Overcoming Conflict: (I) Consociationalism, (II) Using Civil
Society, and (III) Constructivism
? Case Study: Northern Ireland
? Case Study: Iraq

SPRING SEMESTER: The Universal: Human Rights and Violent Conflict
? Cosmopolitanism, Moral Solidarity and the Problem of War
? Can War Ever Be Just? The Ethics of Political Violence
? Human Rights and the ?New Wars? Debate
? Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect
? International Peace Operations
? War Law and International Criminal Justice
? Atrocity and Armed Conflict
? Pacifism and the Right to Refuse to Kill
? Women, Gender and Wartime Violence
? Children, Childhood and Political Violence
? The Lecturers Debate ? Atrocity and Intervention since the ?Arab Spring?

Teaching: Lectures, seminars and guided study sessions

Assessment:
STUDY OPTION 1:
? A reflective learning journal of 2000 words (Spring semester) {20%}
? A 2,500 word mid-term essay (Autumn semester) {40%}
? A two hour, two question seen examination (Spring semester) {40%}
STUDY OPTION 2: essay (tbc)
STUDY OPTION 3: essay (tbc)

Study Option 1 = Whole Year
Study Option 2 = Autumn
Study Option 3 = Spring/summer