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Regular version of the site

Human Rights in Authoritarian Societies

2021/2022
Academic Year
ENG
Instruction in English
6
ECTS credits
Course type:
Elective course
When:
1 year, 3, 4 module

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Human Rights violation is the common argument in the current debates The content of it is seriously different depends on the who is pronounced the sentences about human rights. It has become quite popular among political elites to explain foreign and domestic politics in terms of human rights, but at the same time human rights and the human rights movement are both in serious crises, especially in concern with authoritarianism, which is “goes global”.
Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

  • • Understand different conceptualizations and operationalizations of authoritarian regimes • Explore the strengths and weakness of different authoritarian governing styles and strategies in emulation human rights agenda • Assess the role of international human rights law and NGO in promoting human rights in authoritarian countries and theirs limits • Understand the origin of human rights and debate their universality and specificity for various cultural backgrounds • Examine the role of international institutions and norms in promoting human rights • Explore various approaches in quantifying human rights • Analyse the determinants of repression and the actors involved in human rights violations • Understand mechanisms to improve human rights practices around the world • Be able to critique readings, analyse evidence and construct informed arguments
Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes

  • Classify the functions of diffferent political institutions under autoritarian regime
  • Discuss the current situation with democracy VS authoritarian regimes and human rights debates
  • Explain the relationship between the crises of democracy and human rights violations
  • Identify the role of dissent in authoritarian regime and logic of authoritarian repression and coercion
  • Know the types and forms of autoritarianism
  • To define what is the soveregnty and how it is limited the international human rights law
  • To identify the methods of authoritarian regimes manipulation with human rights
  • To understand the role of international human rights law and international NGO in the international human rights regime
  • Understand relationship between democracy and human rigths, and idenfity the current challenges for democracy.
  • Understand the complexity of the autoritiarianism in the local and international political context
  • Understand the function of the political institutions under dictatorship
Course Contents

Course Contents

  • Introduction. Human rights and democracy.
  • Polyarchy, Autoritarian regimes - types and varieties. Competitive authoritarianism.
  • Democracy, crisis, and human rights
  • Political institutions and autoritarianism
  • Mimicry, whataboutism and emulation: dictatorship strategy of protecion and human rights
  • Sovereignty, human rigths and dictatorship: limitiation of international law
  • Dissent, repression and its explanation
  • Socializing states: International law and international NGO in the promotion of human rights in authoritarian countries
  • Government performance under dictatorship
  • Autoritarianism goes global?
  • Autoritarian institutions and international human rights
Assessment Elements

Assessment Elements

  • non-blocking Essay Human Rights, Democracy and Authoritarianism
  • non-blocking Presentation "Human rights in {country}: political institututions and international criticism
  • blocking Written Exam
  • non-blocking Active participation
    Student is always ready to the class, actively participate in discussion and ready to dispute class reading
Interim Assessment

Interim Assessment

  • 2021/2022 4th module
    0.2 * Presentation "Human rights in {country}: political institututions and international criticism + 0.1 * Active participation + 0.4 * Written Exam + 0.3 * Essay Human Rights, Democracy and Authoritarianism
Bibliography

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

  • De Mesquita, B. B., Downs, G. W., Smith, A., & Cherif, F. M. (2005). Thinking Inside the Box: A Closer Look at Democracy and Human Rights. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.99C3AE43
  • Diamond, L. J., Plattner, M. F., & Walker, C. (2016). Authoritarianism Goes Global : The Challenge to Democracy. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1083537
  • Gandhi, J. (DE-588)138685657, (DE-576)285538829. (2008). Political institutions under dictatorship / Jennifer Gandhi. Cambridge [u.a.]: Cambridge Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.285538837
  • Goodman, R. (DE-588)137100671, (DE-576)185558658. (2013). Socializing states : promoting human rights through international law / Ryan Goodman and Derek Jinks. Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.40856802X
  • Hitchens, C. (2005). Letters to a Young Contrarian. New York: Basic Books. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=584078
  • Svolik, M. W. . (DE-588)1028019874, (DE-576)363646817. (2012). The politics of authoritarian rule / Milan W. Svolik. New York, NY [u.a.]: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.36364699X
  • Vreeland, J. R. (2008). Political Institutions and Human Rights: Why Dictatorships Enter into the United Nations Convention Against Torture. International Organization, (01), 65. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.cup.intorg.v62y2008i01p65.101.08