ps 2b03/ws 2a03/ls 2w03 (2010/11) lecture 1: introduction, what are human rights i

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Monday January 3 2011

Lecture 1: Introduction, What are human rights I

PS 2B03/LS 2W03/WS 2A03: Human Rights and Social Justice

Dr Colin Salter, Centre for Peace Studies, McMaster University

Introductionwelcome & overview

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Introductions

Dr Colin Salter

e: [email protected]: (905) 525 9140 ext. 23722

Consultation:Monday 2:30-4:30 pmTogo Salmon Hall room 302

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Introductions

Josh [email protected]

Andrew [email protected]

Lauren [email protected]

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Outline

Course structure

Set readings

Assessment overview

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Michael Goodhart, ed. (2009)

Human Rights: politics andpractice, Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press.

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Reeta Tremblay, James Kelly,Michael Lipson and Jean

Francois Mayer (2008)Understanding Human Rights:Origins, Currents and Critiques,Nelson: Toronto.

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In reflecting on the ephemeral, socially constructed and

constituted discourse of rights and justice, we willconsider the manifestations and implications ofinstitutional mechanisms and actions seeking andpromoting these notions.

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You will be exposed to different perspectives and

debates about human rights and social justice.

A diverse array of themes are explored, ranging fromthe individual through to the international level.

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These include debates about the rights of the person,

structural violence, gender, ableness and the challengesfaced in a period considered by some to be typified byglobal insecurity.

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Violence with a clear-subject-object relation is manifestbecause it is visible in action. It is personal because

there are persons committing the violence.

Violence without subject-object relations is structural,built into structure.

Johan Galtung (1969)

Structural violence

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Disparities, disabilities, and deaths result when systems,institutions, policies or cultural beliefs meet some

peoples human needs and human rights at the expenseof others. Structural violence creates relationships thatcause secondary violence to occur.

Lisa Schirch (2004)

Structural violence

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Cultural violence means those aspects of culture, the

symbolic fear of our existence that can be used tojustify or legitimise direct or structural violence.

Johan Galtung (1990)

Cultural violence

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Assessment structure

Assessment Format Length Due Date Weighting

1 Participation

Participation in class

discussion &

activities

n/a weekly 20%(see notes)

2 Assignment 1 Commentary 750 words January 24 15%

3 Assignment 2 Commentary 1250 words February 17 20%

4 Assignment 3 Essay 2250 words April 4 30%

5 Final exam Formal exam see notesexamperiod

15%

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Attendance

Non-attendance will significantly impact on what you

can learn from this course.

By not participating, you also detract from the abilityof others to learn with you.

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-0 through 5 absences: no penalty

- 6 absences: 8% subtracted

- 7 absences: 10% subtracted

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8 absences: 12% subtracted- 9 absences: 15% subtracted

Attendance

If you miss more than 2 tutorials, marks will besubtracted from your final mark, as follows:

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McMaster email policy

The course instructor will only open emails sent from McMaster email addresses. Emails sent from any otheremail provider (e.g. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo) will not be

opened and will be deleted immediately. This policy protectsconfidentiality and confirms your identity.

This applies to TAs as well.

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For Wednesday

Find a recent item in the press. Bring it to class and

be ready to discuss it in your group Also reflect on something interesting about yourself

that you are comfortable sharing with others in yourgroup

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Citations & further reading

Johan Galtung (1969) VIolence, peace and peace research,Journal of Peace Research,

Vol. 6, No. 3. pp. 167-91.

Johan Galtung (1990) Cultural violence, Journal of Peace Research, Vol. 27, No. 3.pp.291-305.Lisa Schirch (2004) The Little Book of Strategic Peacebuilding, Good Books.

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Image sources

Mike Konopacki. 2000. If there was justice in the world, 2000 http://www.veggies.org.uk/calendar/2000.htm

Human Rights Champions, 2001 http://invisiblecollege.weblog.leidenuniv.nl/2007/03/11/who-wants-to-be-the-

new-human-rights-cha

Which do you pet, which do you eat? http://www.meatout.org/action/outreach.htm

Shane T. McCoy, Detainees at Camp X-Ray, 11 January 2002. Image in the domain image http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Camp_x-ray_detainees.jpg

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ps 2b03/ws 2a03/ls 2w03 (2010/11) lecture 1: introduction, what are human rights i

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