LAWPUBL 754 : Special Topic: Comparative Human Rights Law

Law

2020 Semester Two (1205) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

No prescription

Course Overview

Comparative Human Rights Law will examine how human rights issues are dealt with across a range of countries in the (broad) common law tradition – New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and various states of the South Pacific. While the focus is on domestic law, this necessarily involves a consideration of international law (the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) given that in various ways, international human rights law has a bearing on domestic law in most of these countries.

We will examine past and current controversies concerning the rights to life and liberty, the freedoms of expression and religion, equality and anti-discrimination law, and social and economic rights.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Master of Laws

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and apply knowledge of • the legal structure of human rights law and human rights controversies • the main principles of comparative law, and its benefits (and pitfalls) in legal analysis and argument • the intersection of human rights law and broader constitutional and public law principles (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3)
  2. Be able to critically analyse particular human rights controversies (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3)
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of of different constitutional settings for the protection of human rights (Capability 1.1, 1.2 and 2.2)
  4. Communicate and explain complex human rights issues (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)
  5. Demonstrate an understanding of social and economic issues as they relate to human rights (Capability 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  6. Be able to engage in comparative research in human rights law (Capability 5.1 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Research assignment 90% Individual Coursework
Coursework- class participation 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Research assignment
Coursework- class participation

Workload Expectations

This is a standard 30-point LLM intensive postgraduate course. There will be around 36 hours of lectures in this course. As a general guide, you should expect a workload of three hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 150 hours.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 21/07/2020 05:10 p.m.