Human rights

The course addresses the complex challenges that human rights face in a global context, with a particular emphasis on issues of gender, sexuality, and social justice. Students gain an in-depth understanding of the development of international conventions and legal instruments for the protection of human rights, as well as the institutions responsible for their implementation and monitoring. The course further includes analysis of how these norms and frameworks are interpreted, applied, and contested in different cultural, political, and economic contexts. Through comparative case studies from various parts of the world, the course highlights themes such as gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and the rights to assembly, association, and freedom of expression. Special attention is given to the power structures that shape what rights are recognised, what actors are included or excluded, and how rights are defended or restricted. The course also problematises the interaction between local grassroots movements, transnational networks, and international organisations, examining their role in both reinforcing and challenging existing human rights discourses.