Kurs

Human Rights and Democracy Clinic, Part II

General information

The course is a compulsory component of the M.A. Program in Human Rights and Democracy.

Course description

The course provides an in-depth view of some of the methods and theories that inform the practical work of advancing human rights and democracy at different levels of society. Students will work in small sub-groups to plan and execute a project of relevance for human rights and democracy. The course includes a set of workshops where students will develop transferable skills like project planning, information gathering, analysis, report writing and oral presentation. The project materializes in a larger report that documents a current issue with relevance for the field of study. The course emphasizes the interplay between theory and practice, and especially how the interpretation of central concepts, legal frameworks and social processes shape what are considered as relevant problems and measures in the advancement of human rights and democracy. Building on Human Rights and Democracy Clinic Part One [5MR439], this course also highlights ethical questions and conundrums that arise in the execution of projects with relevance to human rights and democracy, as well as how the communication of research findings can be adjusted to different audiences.

 

Learning Outcomes 

On completion of the course, the student shall be able to

 

Knowledge and understanding

• describe and reflect on methodological, legal, political and ethical conundrums that arise in the execution of a project of relevance to human rights and democracy,
• skillfully distinguish and contrast different ways of presenting the results of a project within the field of study,

 

Competence and skills

• in co-operation with others, formulate, plan, execute and evaluate a delimited and coherent project within the field of study, and reflect on the project’s legal, ethical and political implications,
• apply, integrate and critically assess different methods for data-collection and analysis within the field of inquiry,
• account and argue for one’s assessment of complex phenomena—orally as well as in writing; 

 

Judgement and approach

• reflect critically and independently on central theories and concepts within the field of inquiry; 
• analyze and assess information using scientific criteria.