Course Details in 2025/26 Session

Module Title	LH Human Rights and Development
School	Government
Department	International Development
Module Code	08 34592
Module Lead	Niheer Dasandi
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-20 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	Is development a fundamental human right? Why and how do human rights matter for development? This module provides students with an understanding of the relationship between rights and development, and examines how rights-based approaches can work in practice. Links between concepts of human rights and development will be identified, such as the capabilities approach and the right to development. Evidence on the causal links between human rights and development will then be examined, including a focus on why we see more repression in poorer countries, and whether improved rights lead to economic development or vice versa. The module considers how human rights can be promoted and realised, both by local actors and social movements, and by external supporters such as aid agencies through funding, advocacy, and their own programming. Weekly lectures will be complemented with participatory weekly seminars, giving students the opportunity to research into the relationship between human rights and development, and how external and local actors can positively or negatively impact this relationship.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Outline the historical, philosophical, legal and political dimensions of human rights. Analyse the links between human rights and development, with reference to theory and examples. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of different approaches to promoting human rights in a diverse range of contexts.
Assessment	34592-01 : 1000 word assessment : Coursework (25%) 34592-02 : 3000 word assessment : Coursework (75%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 1 x 1,000 word written assignment (25%) – mid-term assessment and 1 x 3,000 word written assignment (75%) – final assessment Reassessment: N/A
Other
Reading List