2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
PRHS2000 Human Rights and Religion
20 creditsClass Size: 65
Module manager: Dr Rachel Muers
Email: r.e.muers@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2017/18
Module replaces
THEO2320 Theology and Ethical TheoryThis module is approved as a discovery module
Module summary
How do religious commitments and commitments to human rights affect each other, in theory and in practice? Are religious communities the sources, the guardians or the enemies of human rights? Are human rights ‘sacred’ – and should they be? This interdisciplinary module examines the relationship between religion and human rights from historical, theological, philosophical and social-scientific perspectives. We begin with an overview of different theoretical approaches and move to a consideration of contemporary case studies.Objectives
• To explore the theoretical, historical and political background of current debates about the relationship between religion and human rights• To enable students to reflect critically on the relationship between religion and human rights from a range of disciplinary perspectives: historical, theological, philosophical, social-scientific
• To equip students to research, and develop informed and critical responses to, specific case studies or issues in religion and human rights
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
• Understand and critically evaluate a range of perspectives on key issues in the relationship between religion and human rights, applying two or more of these approaches: theological, philosophical, historical, social-scientific
• Give a critical account of the background to, and different perspectives on, one or more contemporary debates about religion and human rights
• Apply their understanding to a case study on religion and human rights
Skills outcomes
Ability to connect moral and political issues with religious issues
Syllabus
Part 1: Overview, Issues, Debates
• Historical Introduction: Why Human Rights? Why Not Human Rights?
• Human Rights and Religious Ethics
• ‘Universal’ Human Rights and Particular Traditions
• Human Rights in Global and Postcolonial Context
• Human Rights and Religion in Policy and Practice
• Are Human Rights Sacred?
Part 2: Human Rights and Religion in Context – Case Studies This gives an indication of the themes to be covered; case studies will usually take a narrower focus, e.g. a particular geographical area or current controversy
• Gender, and gender-based violence
• Sexuality
• Migration and Asylum
• Poverty
• Religious Freedom
• Torture
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Mini Conference | 1 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Lecture | 6 | 1.00 | 6.00 |
| Seminar | 6 | 2.00 | 12.00 |
| Private study hours | 179.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
Work on reflective log and online tasks, and independent reading to support them, 55 hours; preparation of essay (which draws on reflective log), 80 hours; preparation for lectures and seminars, 20 hours; reading/recap in the reading week, 24 hours.Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Online reflective logs will enable student progress to be monitored by the module leader (this is particularly important in the seminar-based section of the module, which will probably be taught by different members of staff each week)Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 2000 Word Essay | 60.00 |
| Reflective log | Two 300 word entries | 25.00 |
| Online Assessment | Two 200 word assessments | 15.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
Reflective log: Students select 2 areas to focus on at the start of the course (with guidance) – one theoretical and one case-study related. The weekly/fortnightly log records reflections on the reading and lectures, relating it to the 2 areas of focus. Students write an essay on one of their 2 chosen topics. Resit for the reflective log component is an essay on the second selected area of focus.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 26/03/2018
Browse Other Catalogues
- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
- Undergraduate programme catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
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