Students

LAWS2060 – The Politics of Human Rights Law

2020 – Session 1, Intensive attendance, North Ryde

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Kate Gleeson
Contact via Email
6 First Walk 615
9-10am Tuesday
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
60cp at 1000 level or above including LAWS1010 or LEX101 or LEX102 or LAWS1000 or LAW115
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Human rights are not simply a legal construct. They reflect powerful social and political movements that have transformed our political imagination since the mid 20th century. This unit explores human rights law with a view to analysing the diverse international and domestic political influences that have shaped its evolution and patterns of implementation. Students will examine changing political influences on a range of domestic and international human rights instruments and the roles they have played in anti-colonial, self-determination, civil rights and other liberation movements, as well as their place in supporting state authority. Particular attention will be paid to studying the power of geopolitical regions and the changing capacity of different national groups, countries and regimes to shape human rights law over time.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Explain and reflect on contemporary political debates about human rights values and rights-based discourses and how they are represented in law.
  • ULO2: Explain and reflect on some major international and domestic political issues that have occurred in recent history and the role that human rights plays within these issues.
  • ULO3: Apply international and domestic law to policy formation in the area of human rights.
  • ULO4: Communicate your understanding of the subject verbally and in clearly written, well reasoned and well structured arguments.
  • ULO5: Conduct interdisciplinary research in law and international relations and appreciate the role played by these disciplines in influencing legal processes and policy-making forums.

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Assessment Information

Details of the assessment tasks, due dates and detailed marking rubrics are available on iLearn. All written assessments are to be submitted electronically via Turnitin. Plagiarism detection software is used in this unit and the University's Academic Honesty Policy is strictly applied. All essays must be referenced in accordance with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation Volume 4. Please note that footnotes are excluded from the word limits (which will be strictly applied). Material over the word limit will not be read. 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved,

(a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and

(b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.

No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests, take home exams.

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

This unit requires students to attend or listen online (through Echo360) a weekly one-hour lecture. Students are also expected to attend a one-hour tutorial each week.  There is no required textbook. Weekly readings are available through Leganto (link available via the iLearn site).

Before attending (or listening to) the weekly live lecture, students are required to access the unit's iLearn page to review online content such as videos (of approximately one hour) and read the assigned readings.

Before you attend the first lecture on 25 February 2020, you should have logged onto iLearn and viewed the assigned weekly online content of approximately an hour, and read the assigned weekly reading.  

The On-Campus Session for external students will be held on 14 and 15 April. 

Unit Schedule

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Week

Week starting

Lecture

Tutorial

Assessment

1

24/02

Introduction: A post human rights era?

No tutorial

 

2

2/03

The Natural approach to human rights

 A post human rights era?

 

3

9/03

The Political approach to human rights

The Natural approach to human rights

 

4

16/03

Asylum seekers, refugees and human rights

The Political approach to human rights

Quiz

5

23/03

Australia’s Asylum seeker policy

Asylum seekers, refugees and human rights

 

6

30/03

A breach of international law?

Australia’s Asylum seeker policy

 

7

6/04

Sexuality Rights at the UN

A breach of international law?

Quiz

Break

13/04

 

 

 

Break

20/04

 

 

 

8

27/4

Resistance to sexuality rights

Sexuality Rights at the UN

Essay

9

4/05

Marriage equality

Resistance to sexuality rights

 

10

11/05

What is privacy?

Marriage Equality

Quiz

11

18/05

Privacy in international human rights law.

What is privacy?

 

12

25/05

Data and Privacy

Privacy in international

 

13

1/06

No Lecture

Data and Privacy

Quiz

 

8/06

 

 

Exam

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

Assessment regime has changed since 2019.