Human rights in policy and practice
Summary
Look at the news headlines on any given day. Some of the most pressing social and political issues we face, both home and abroad, relate to human rights. From conflicts to pandemics, and from social inequalities to authoritarianism, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights is as relevant as it ever was. But to take action on human rights we need to first understand them properly – where they come from, what they require, and what kinds of tools you can use to make human rights a reality. That’s what this course is about.
About
From principles to practical actions
Where do human rights come from? What kinds of rights do we have, and why? Do some groups have different rights from others? How can we translate international standards into local action? And do human rights work?
These are among the questions you will explore in this introductory human rights course, together with an international teaching team with both academic and practitioner expertise.
Based on real-world case examples, you will learn about:
- The philosophy of human rights, and how this relates to today’s social and political challenges.
- Human rights law, and how this applies to marginalised groups.
- Tools for mainstreaming human rights into policy and practice.
- Critiques of human rights-based approaches.
Through this course, you will gain an introduction to the diverse field of human rights, including what various actors in fact do, and why they do it.
In human rights we cannot shy away from challenging issues. We need to discuss rights violations, patterns of marginalisation, and political controversies. The most inspiring and valuable courses rely on active and engaged students. So please get ready to think critically, to listen to others with an open mind, and to discuss and debate with mutual respect.
Expect discussion, debate and critical thinking
There will be a mix of in-class discussions and debates, interactive lectures, carefully chosen literature from a variety of academic and non-academic sources, and assignments to inspire you and get you thinking.
Prerequisites and selection
Entry requirements
General entrance requirements
Selection
Selection is based upon average grade from upper secondary school (34 %), the number of credits from previous university studies, maximum 165 credits (33 %) and Högskoleprovet - Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (33 %).
After graduation
We hope this introductory course may inspire you to take your human rights learning further. You may wish to go on to take our Masters Programme in Human Rights (in Swedish), or our Erasmus Mundus in Human Rights Policy and Practice (international).
In the workplace, a solid understanding of human rights is very valuable across sectors, whether in international organisations, national or local civil service, or non-governmental organisations.
