Human Rights in Asia

Subject LAWS70299 (2011)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 7 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

September, Parkville - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: The total class time is between 24 and 26 hours.
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Corequisites: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Recommended Background Knowledge: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Non Allowed Subjects: Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Core Participation Requirements:

Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.

Contact

For more information, contact the Melbourne Law Masters office.

Email law-masters@unimelb.edu.au or phone +61 3 8344 6190.

Alternatively, visit our website:

www.masters.law.unimelb.edu.au

Subject Overview:

This subject requires students to appreciate the diverse understandings of ‘human rights’ in the Asian region, and to evaluate the interaction of international human rights norms and institutions with domestic (state and civil society) rights priorities and values. Countries chosen for close analysis will be mainly South East Asian countries, but other Asian jurisdictions may be examined.

Principal topics will include:

  • Cultural relativism and ‘universal’ rights discourses
  • Domestic institutions for the protection and promotion of rights, particularly the courts and national human rights institutions
  • Civil society organisations and popular mobilisation for human rights
  • Select issues as case studies, including but not confined to:
    • Women’s rights
    • Civil and political rights such as free speech, freedom of belief and due process rights
    • Social and economic rights
    • Environmental rights
    • Indigenous and minority cultural rights.
Objectives:

A student who has successfully completed this subject should:

  • Have developed a critical understanding of the theoretical and practical challenges involved in studying Asian legal systems
  • Be able to offer critical evaluation of arguments about the tensions between culture, development and human rights in diverse Asian contexts
  • Have developed a critical understanding of the interplay of international human rights norms with human rights priorities and values in selected Asian societies
  • Have developed a critical understanding of the domestic mechanisms for the protection of human rights in selected Asian states, and be able to evaluate them
  • Have developed a critical appreciation of current human rights concerns in selected Asian states
  • Be able to critically evaluate how civil society organisations mobilise to advance human rights.
Assessment:

Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Prescribed Texts: Core subject materials will be provided free of charge to all students. Some subjects require further texts to be purchased. Visit the Melbourne Law Masters website for more information about this subject.
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date

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