POLITICS 702 : Transitional Justice: From Retribution to Reconciliation

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explores the politics of transitional justice in post-war, post-conflict, and post-colonial states. Students examine political responses to atrocity in the context of conflicting demands that include the rule of law, peace, retribution, and human rights. Specific topics include trials, truth commissions and hybrid courts, the use of amnesty and the practice of apology, democratisation, development and reconciliation.

Course Overview

What should be done about the wrongs of a prior regime? What should be done with individual rapists, torturers and genocidaires and the generals and politicians responsible for directing their atrocities? This course explores the politics of transitional justice in post-war, post-conflict, and post-colonial states. Students examine how transitional states to respond to systemic injustice in ways that respect the conflicting demands of the rule of law, victim’s needs, peace, democracy, economic development, and human rights in contexts of often limited state capacity. The course should appeal to students of politics and international relations, development studies, philosophy, sociology, history and law.

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

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop an understanding of transitional justice practice. (Capability 1.3, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  2. Develop proficiency with relevant theoretical approaches to transitional justice as a scholarly field. (Capability 1.1, 2.3 and 3.2)
  3. Demonstrate skills in constructing arguments and in analytical thinking and writing. (Capability 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.3)
  4. Demonstrate skills in presenting arguments and deliberation. (Capability 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2)
  5. Apply these skills and knowledge to political positions and arguments. (Capability 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Review 8% Individual Coursework
Policy Assessment 35% Individual Coursework
Policy Recommendation 57% Group & Individual Coursework

Workload Expectations

The University of Auckland's expectation on 15-point courses is that students spend 10 hours per week on the course. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Students attend two hours of seminar each week, leaving eight hours per week outside the classroom to engage in reading, researching and assignment preparation.

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 coordinator, 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

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff 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 10/07/2020 01:42 p.m.