4. Assessment: How should we view human rights?

Activity 1 - What should we revise?

Activity Tasks

Mind-Map - Create a concept-map using Padlet, Mindmup or any other similar mind-mapping tool (or create a sketchnote by hand!). In the middle write ‘How do human rights operate in practice?’.
Summarise - Now fill in your mind-map with key information and facts from the contemporary global case studies that you have examined in this unit. Review your notes and summarise using the following headings and events:
1. Individual vs. Collective Rights - Western focus on individual, peoples’ rights, African Charter, debates
2. Universalism vs. Relativism - definitions, problems in UDHR, case studies, arguments for universalis
3. Politicisation of Human Rights - Causes of politicisation, state power vs. individual rights, use of sanctions

Activity Tasks

Recall - Examine the statement of inquiry for this unit again and consider how it applies to what you’ve studied:
1. Human Rights are contested due to cultural differences about the relationship between individual liberty and collective rights
Analyse - With a partner, discuss how this statement of inquiry could be applied to the world today. Consider the following questions:
1. Connect - How is the statement of inquiry connected to what you have studied?
2. Extend - Does the statement of inquiry extend your thinking about global politics in any way?
3. Challenge - What is challenging or confusing about the statement of inquiry?
Evaluate - To what extent is cultural relativism just an excuse for the selective enforcement of human rights?
Discuss - Should the international human rights regime be modified to accommodate cultural differences?

Activity Tasks