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Cultures of Human rights (Intensive)

Overview

  • Credit value: 30 credits at Level 7
  • Convenor: Eddie Bruce-Jones
  • Assessment: 4000-word essay (100%)

Module description

The discourse of human rights has become one of the most globalised values of our times. Yet it does not, by any means, resolve numerous tensions and contradictions embodied in various cultural and political contexts where rights talk is central.

Until recently, much of the discussion of the universality of rights included little engagement with writing on culture from anthropology or cultural studies, fields which have moved beyond reified notions of culture. This module will attempt to come to a more nuanced understanding of the politics of human rights and a discussion of the limits of rights within various political and cultural struggles.

Historically, anthropologists were unwilling to analyse human rights issues as they believed that human rights discourse could not transcend cultural diversity. While some anthropological thinking continues to subscribe to such a view, in general, anthropology has begun to recognise that such a position is based on a static conception of culture. Instead, culture is increasingly perceived as dynamic and productive, as well as infused with other systems of meaning.

The module will examine the question of the relation between culture, however defined, and human rights theory and practice with the aid of ethnographic and critical studies of human rights struggles. We will consider the conditions of possibility for overcoming the apparent non-correspondence between culture and rights and culture and law more generally. 

Indicative module content 

  • Anthropological perspectives on human rights 
  • Postcolonialism and rights
  • Human rights activism and conflict
  • Indigenous rights
  • Rights community and globalisation
  • Rights and identity 
  • Rights and cultural difference