Human Rights Advocacy Internship module (PO42017)

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Credits

30

Module code

PO42017

The module combines theory and practice to introduce you to theoretical debates and controversies in human rights advocacy and real-world experience of running an advocacy campaign. The aim of the module is to help you to learn by reading, reflecting, and doing.

Teaching and Learning

The course will consist of:

  • Pre-recorded lectures
  • One weekly seminar of one hour
  • One weekly advocacy workshop of 120 minutes for advice and guidance on the practical sections of the module

Students will have the opportunity to work, as part of a group, with Scholars at Risk, an NGO on an advocacy project, and develop real-world skills that will enhance their employment opportunities. The module will also include, when applicable, a simulation on information politics and guest presentations.

A video on the background of Scholars At Risk can be found on YouTube.

Human rights advocacy campaigns run by students in previous years can be found across various social media platforms:

Assessment

  • A group video submission summarising the campaign (10% of mark)
  • Individual attendance of group meetings (10%)
  • An individually submitted advocacy strategy document (30%)
  • An individually submitted end of term report on process of advocacy (50%)

Module aims

  • To introduce students to the theory and practice of human rights advocacy
  • To encourage students to grapple with the concepts, theories, and methods that have been used to explain the successes and functioning of non-governmental organisations
  • To challenge students to develop critical and reflexive responses to complex human rights problems and make informed arguments and strategic advocacy decisions on these issues
  • To give students the opportunity to work with a non-governmental organisation on a real-life advocacy case and develop skills to enhance their employment prospects
  • To facilitate the development of oral presentation, group work, and report writing skills

Indicative content

  • Introduction to human rights
  • Introduction to the international and European regimes of human rights
  • The politics and constraints of advocacy
  • An introduction to information politics
  • Advocacy strategies, their effectiveness, and their outcomes

Intended Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module, students will be better able to

  • Evaluate the performance of international human rights institutions to the advocacy of real-world cases
  • Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and practical relevance of the normative debates on human rights advocacy
  • Differentiate between and develop for themselves the multiple administrative, organisational, strategic, and design skills necessary for a career advocating for human rights
  • Plan, design, and implement an advocacy campaign on a real-world case, evaluate the successes and failures of this campaign and recommend constructive changes to the NGO working on this campaign in real time
  • Demonstrate a range of employability skills --working with a group to design and implement a project to a deadline, communication and problem-solving skills, presentation skills, writing short and long reports, and working with a ‘client’ remotely to meet their needs

Courses

This module is available on following courses: