Course Description
Over the past three decades, human rights (HAM) issues have become a crucial issue and have received widespread attention from the international community, both academically and in practice. At the academic level, human rights have become the subject of intensive study at several universities and research institutions in many countries around the world. This demonstrates the importance of human rights in the scientific community and simultaneously indicates the growing trend of human rights becoming a distinct discipline.
In practice, human rights issues have become an integral part of national policies in almost every country. This is demonstrated by the increasing number of institutions established to protect, uphold, and fulfill human rights, both at the national and international levels, by both governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Hundreds of human rights laws and standards (both national and international) have been produced, and although the results have not been entirely satisfactory, various efforts have been made by these countries and nations to protect, uphold, and fulfill the human rights of their citizens.
Recognizing the importance of protecting, upholding, and fulfilling human rights for all Indonesian citizens in particular, and humanity in general, human rights education and teaching for students at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), is deemed necessary. The primary objective of this course is to provide students with basic knowledge and understanding of human rights, particularly regarding the definition of human rights, their historical context, the social, cultural, economic, political, and legal context of a country or nation, applicable international and national human rights standards and legal products, and practices of fulfilling, promoting, and enforcing human rights (including examples of successes and failures) in several countries, particularly Indonesia.
With this knowledge, it is hoped that students participating in this course will develop their analytical skills and critical thinking regarding emerging human rights issues they face, both locally and internationally. Furthermore, these skills are expected to form the basis for the formation and development of attitudes and behaviors, making them more sensitive and responsive to the human rights issues they face. It is hoped that this sensitivity and responsiveness will ultimately encourage students participating in this course to later be able to apply knowledge, skills, and experience related to human rights in their daily lives: namely in the form of behavior that respects and advances human rights for others.
Expected Learning Outcome
- Know and understand what human rights are, their history, existing human rights standards and norms, and their social, economic, and political contexts, as well as their application in the lives of global communities.
- Analyze and critically explain issues and cases of human rights violations that occur and develop globally.
- Empathize with victims of human rights violations and change attitudes to become pro-active in respecting, protecting, and promoting human rights.
Syllabus
Read the full syllabus here.
