SubjectsSubjects(version: 970)
Course, academic year 2024/2025
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History of Human Rights in International Relations - YMN0HHR
Title: History of Human Rights in International Relations
Guaranteed by: Programme Civil Society Studies (24-KSOS)
Faculty: Faculty of Humanities
Actual: from 2024
Semester: both
E-Credits: 3
Examination process:
Hours per week, examination: 0/2, MC [HT]
Capacity: winter:unknown / 20 (40)
summer:unknown / unknown (40)
Min. number of students: 5
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
Key competences:  
State of the course: taught
Language: English
Teaching methods: full-time
Level:  
Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan
you can enroll for the course in winter and in summer semester
Guarantor: Mgr. Selma Muhič Dizdarevič, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): Mgr. Selma Muhič Dizdarevič, Ph.D.
Class: Courses available to incoming students
Co-requisite : {The course under this code is intended for MA level students. BA students interested in this course need to enrol the BA level code that begins with "YB".}
Incompatibility : YBAJ205, YBLS019, YMH558, YMN202, YMN302
Interchangeability : YMN00HHR, YMN058, YMN080, YMN091, YMN092, YMN093
Is incompatible with: YMH558, YMN164, YBLS019, YMN302, YMN202, YBAJ205
Is interchangeable with: YMN00HHR
Annotation -
The goal of the course is to introduce students to the following topics: current definitions of human rights, controversy over different generations of human rights, history of human rights from ancient Greece up to contemporary philosophical and political science definitions, differences between natural and human rights, disputes with moral relativism, moral vs. legal rights, claim rights and liberty rights, scope and justification of human rights, HR as the dominant geopolitical doctrine of modern times, HR in international law and HR within the UN. Special attention will be paid to theories of international relations and place of the HR agenda in it. Students will be encouraged to discuss current HR issues and illustrate the theories with political events. The creation of this course was funded by the Operational Programme Prague - Adaptability, cofinanced by the European Social Fund.
Last update: FEJFAPET (15.05.2014)
Teaching methods - Czech

Here, in the SIS, you can find recordings from the COVID-19 period. The lectures are not identical to those taught in person; the recordings serve as an additional teaching tool.  

You will also find a syllabus in the SIS.

In Moodle, you will find the syllabus and lecture ppt. 

MS Teams is optional, there you can find lecture presentations and recordings.

A written test at the end of the course is mandatory for the course completion. 

Preparing a short presentation or paper answering the question, what are the main human rights problems in your country and why is the second requirement. The structure: identify the country, explain the historical background of the human rights problems in your country, explain the forms of human rights violations, why you selected the group whose human rights are violated, and what are some activities of nongovernmental or other organizations fighting against the violations. The presentation/paper has to be submitted in Moodle by 1 April. Starting on 6 April, you will present your work based on the schedule I will provide.

Attendance for this course is not mandatory. However, you have to be present for your presentation.

However, for those who do not attend lectures, additional information must be obtained either by visiting lectures or physically coming to the scheduled meeting with the lecturer. Individual emails as a form of informing oneself about what took place during lectures are not possible. 

Required reading:

Donnelly, J. Universal Human Rights. New York: Cornell University Press. 2003. 290 s. ISBN 0801487765.

Muhič Dizdarevič, S. - Valeš, F. Stínová zpráva 2009/2010: rasizmus a diskriminace v České republice. In: ENAR Shadow Report 2009/2010. (ed.) ENAR. Brusel: European Network Against Racism, 2011,  s. 1-48. Available at: https://www.enar-eu.org/wp-content/uploads/5._czech_rep.pdf 

Muhič Dizdarevič, S. Islamophobia in the Czech Republic: National Report 2018, in: Enes Bayraklı & Farid Hafez, European Islamophobia Report 2018, Istanbul, SETA, 2019, pp. 233-250. Available at: https://setav.org/en/assets/uploads/2019/09/EIR_2018.pdf, p. 233-250

 

 

Last update: Muhič Dizdarevič Selma, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.01.2025)
Requirements to the exam - Czech

A written test at the end of the course is mandatory for the course completion. 

Preparing a short presentation or paper answering the question, what are the main human rights problems in your country and why is the second requirement. The structure: identify the country, explain the historical background of the human rights problems in your country, explain the forms of human rights violations, why you selected the group whose human rights are violated, and what are some activities of nongovernmental or other organizations fighting against the violations. The presentation/paper has to be submitted in Moodle by 1 April. Starting on 6 April, you will present your work based on the schedule I will provide.

Attendance for this course is not mandatory. However, you have to be present for your presentation.

Any additional information regularly given during lectures must be obtained by attending the lectures or asking for consultation during office hours, not via individual emails. 

Last update: Muhič Dizdarevič Selma, Mgr., Ph.D. (10.01.2025)
Syllabus -

1. Introduction in the course. History of the concept of human rights.

2. Human rights and natural rights.

3. Moral vs. legal rights. Legal positivism. Moral relativism and human rights.

4. Generations of human rights.

5. Human rights in non-European traditions.

6. Human rights implementation and post-colonial critique.

7. Human rights in the United Nations. Declaration of human rights.

8. Human rights in international law.

9. Human rights legislation in regional and continental context.

10. The concept of citizenship and human rights.

11. Human rights treaties by issues: race, gender, age.

12. Role of non-governmental organization in promotion of human rights.

13. Concluding remarks and preparation for test.

Requirement for the course is taking a written test and 80% attendence.

Required reading:

Donnelly, Jack. 2003. Universal Human Rights. New York: Cornell University Press. Available from the e-library in Moodle.

Etzioni, Amitai. The Normativity of Human Rights is Sel-Evident. In Human Rights Quarterly. Available at: http://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/etzioni/documents/The%20Normativity%20of%20Human%20Rights%20Is%20Self%20Evident.pdf

Valeš, František, Muhič Dizdarevič, Selma 2011. Racism and Related Discriminatory Pracitces in the Czech Republic. Available at: https://www.enar-eu.org/IMG/pdf/5._czech_rep.pdf 

Last update: Muhič Dizdarevič Selma, Mgr., Ph.D. (17.06.2021)
 
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