Human Rights in China & East Asia

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

Time commitment totals 170 hours.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject deals with human rights issues in mainland China and other regions of East Asia such as Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The impact of the pre-modern Confucian tradition will be assessed on the shaping of human rights discourse in China and East Asian contexts. An important conceptual issue is the perceived contingent nature of human rights in non-Western locations. Students will be encouraged to investigate case studies drawn from democratic and workers rights movements, cases of religious and ethnic discrimination, media censorship, and resistance to patriarchal authority. The diverse ideas put forward by Chinese and East Asian human rights theorists will be evaluated as part of an ongoing debate about the dynamic and contested nature of human rights discourse East and West.

On successful completion of this subject, students should:

gain an appreciation of major human-rights related issues facing East Asian populations in the contemporary era;
acquire insight into cross-cultural interpretations of human rights in East-West comparative contexts;
acquire the ability to adopt critical frameworks in the interpretation of human rights in non-Western frameworks;
develop oral and written communication skills by participant in tutorial discussion and the completion of essays and class papers;
develop time management and organisational skills with regard to the timely completion of assessment items;
enhanced ability to work collaboratively in groups and use initiative in developing research frameworks.

• A class paper 1500 words due 1 week after class presentation (40%)
• An essay 2500 words due during the examination period (60%)

Hurdle requirement: Class attendance is required for this subject; if you do not attend a minimum of 80% of classes without an approved exemption you will not be eligible for a pass in this subject.

Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Materials supplied by the Asia Institute.

Joanne R.Bauer and Daniel A. Bell, eds. The East Asian Challenge for Human Rights .Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Ann Kent, China , the United Nations and Human Rights:the Limits of Compliance . University of Pennsylvania Press, 1999

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

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