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| Semester | fall semester 2021 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Agathe Mora (agathe.mora@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Where do human rights come from? How are they made real ? What are the possibilities and limitations of human rights in making the world a better place? And what can African human rights perspectives teach us about their possible future? Human rights are one of the most profound legacies of the 20th century: an attempt by politicians, policy makers, scholars, and humanitarians to erect obstacles against future state violence and other crimes against humanity. Over time, human rights have become a global phenomenon with unexpected outcomes and effects. Though developed by nations and transnational in scope, human rights ideas and language have been adapted and reworked in a variety of contexts worldwide, becoming the object of, as well as a resource for, popular struggles, state policymaking, and transnational movements. Today, however, scepticism and disenchantment about human rights’ radical potential is widespread. Are we living through the end time of human rights, or can the idea of human rights survive its critics? African countries and contexts have been at the forefront of these developments. From the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission to the Rwandan genocide and its aftermath, to current debates about activism, LGTBQI+ rights and the contested role of the International Criminal Court, African states and citizens have had to navigate the tensions between utopian universalism and international liberalism, and cultural relativism and heightened nationalisms. In this workshop series, we will examine the historical origins, philosophical underpinnings and the global expansion of human rights thinking. We will consider the question of universality in the application of human rights and explore human rights’ contemporary practices to highlight the tensions they reveal and the contradictions they manifest, specifically in Africa. |
| Learning objectives | 1. Systematically understand and critically evaluate key scholarly approaches to the philosophical and historical evolution, and contemporary forms, of human rights. 2. Extend and apply theoretical understanding to specific contexts in the analysis of human rights practice. 3. Manage and consolidate your own learning: Demonstrate the ability to research, synthesise and make arguments on specific themes and materials related to the module. 4. Communicate your arguments to specialist and non-specialist audiences. |
| Bibliography | Nickel, J. W. 2007. Making Sense of Human Rights (Second Edition). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. Cowan, J., Dembour, M., & Wilson, R. (Eds.). 2001. Culture and Rights: Anthropological Perspectives. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Englund, Harri. 2006. Prisoners of Freedom: Human Rights and the African Poor. Berkley: University of California Press. Barreto, J. 2018. Decolonial Thinking and the Quest for Decolonising Human Rights, Asian Journal of Social Science, 46(4-5), 484-502. Moyn, Samuel. 2018. Not Enough : Human Rights in an Unequal World. Harvard: Harvard University Press. Clarke, K.M. 2019. Affective Justice: The International Criminal Court and the Pan-Africanist Pushback. Durham: Duke University Press. |
| Comments | The course is taught by Dr Agathe Mora, University of Sussex |
| Admission requirements | The course is open to students in African Studies, Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, Law, and European Global Studies at MA, and advanced BA levels. |
| Course application | In order to select the 24 participants, the lecturer will assign a 250 words' essay by email on Monday 13 September, to be submitted by Monday 20 September. students will be notified on the outcome of the selection process on Friday 24 September. The essay question is as follows: "In 250 words, please describe: What are human rights, why and how do we have them and what makes them 'real' in the world? Please reference your text as appropriate (author-date or footnotes). In your accompanying email, tell me a few words about yourself (esp. your degree programme and where you're at in your studies). Many thanks!" |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-täglich | Tuesday | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Comments | The course will take place onsite. |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 28.09.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Tuesday 12.10.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Tuesday 26.10.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Tuesday 09.11.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Tuesday 23.11.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Tuesday 07.12.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Tuesday 21.12.2021 | 09.15-12.45 | Vesalianum, Kleiner Hörsaal (O1.13) |
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Europäisierung und Globalisierung (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Modul: Fields: Governance and Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul: Fields: Knowledge Production and Transfer (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul: Fields: Media and Imagination (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul: Sachthemen der Ethnologie (Bachelor's degree subject: Anthropology) Module: Migration, Mobility and Transnationalism (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) Vertiefungsmodul Global Europe: Arbeit, Migration und Gesellschaft (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Vertiefungsmodul Global Europe: Staatlichkeit, Entwicklung und Globalisierung (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Wahlbereich Master Geschichte: Empfehlungen (Master's degree subject: History) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | The workshops will be interactive and participatory. You must come prepared to class having done the 2 essential readings per session at a minimum, watched the multimedia material/film suggestions (when required), as well as having prepared preliminary answers to the reading questions. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Zentrum für Afrikastudien |