Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM152: Post-Conflict Human Rights and Transitional Justice

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Aims

The module aims to provide a conceptual and analytical framework with which to understand the link between peace building and human rights in post-conflict contexts, primarily through developing a critical understanding of transitional justice. you will develop a strong theoretical and conceptual understanding of transitional justice, including its different elements such as truth seeking, justice, accountability and non-recurrence. Drawing from an array of inter-disciplinary literature, you will critically evaluate the different approaches to transitional justice and assess its role vis-à-vis strengthening human rights and peace building in the aftermath of armed conflict.  You will strengthen your understanding of the practicalities of transitional justice in post-conflict contexts through engagement with selected empirical case studies from different regions and innovative teaching, including multi-media and direct engagement with field experts. The course offers an opportunity to understand post-conflict dynamics, and to assess the legitimacy and effectiveness of transitional justice.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Demonstrate conceptual and theoretical understanding of transitional justice with capability to critically evaluate the effectiveness of its varying approaches.
2. Demonstrate critical understanding of the peace-rights-justice nexus in post-conflict contexts and the role of transitional justice in these contexts.
3. Differentiate between theoretical analysis and the practical realities of transitional justice, through a focus on specific case studies,.
Discipline-Specific Skills4. Demonstrate advanced analytical understanding of the significance of issues of transitional justice and human rights within peace and conflict studies.
5. Develop a critical understanding of the field of conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction, including the role of international actors.
Personal and Key Skills6. Independently research, critically evaluate and analyse inter-disciplinary literature.
7. Make rigorous and persuasive arguments and convey them coherently, analytically and convincingly verbally and in writing.
8. Develop policy analysis skills through combining academic and theoretical work with case studies and expert interviews.