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Political Science and International Relations
Human Rights and Security

Human Rights and Security

Code	12278
Year	3
Semester	S2
ECTS Credits	6
Workload	TP(60H)
Scientific area	Relações Internacionais
Entry requirements	Without entry requirements
Mode of delivery	Face-to-face
Work placements	Not applicable.
Learning outcomes	The objectives of this course unit are as follows: • To deepen knowledge about human rights and security as interrelated dimensions at the international level and from a critical philosophical point of view, from a historical point of view, both as political practices and as discursive ideas and forms, or as two of the most relevant international regulatory regimes • Understand Human Rights and Security as keys to reading the political history of the West and as a motto of introduction to International Relations • Examine the universalist view of human rights and problematize their general application from a theoretical point of view • Critically evaluate the impact of culture and gender on the historical possibility of moral universalism inherent in any human rights regime • Develop a contextually situated position on the questionable nature of human rights • Understand and articulate the possible links between Human Rights and Security with the other subdisciplines of International Relations, in particular with the theory of international relations, the analysis of foreign policy and international organizations. • Understand and articulate the contents of this CU with the themes of democratic governance (regional and global)
Syllabus	I - SECURITY • What is Security? • Theoretical traditions of safety studies • Transcending Security: Securitization as a Semantics of Power • NATO and the European Union's security policy • New wars and unconventional threats: terrorism, nuclear proliferation and organized crime • The post-Cold War 'human security' agenda II- HUMAN RIGHTS • Philosophical Basis • Conceptual and historical evolution. • Human rights in international relations: natural rights; "Rule of law"; international liberal order; social construction of the society of states III - THE INTERNATIONAL LAW OF HUMAN RIGHTS • Normative dimension and procedural dimension • Universal protection system and regional protection systems • NGOs and the protection of human rights III - INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY • Human rights and "pax americana": humanitarian interventions and "responsibility to protect" • Historical violations of human rights: "crimes against humanity" and genocide • Human rights and globalization • Human rights, universalism and cultural relativism • Human rights and external policies • Human rights and democracy
Main Bibliography	Barnett, Michael (2011) Empire of humanity: a history of humanitarianism. New York: Cornell University Press. Brysk, Allison (ed.) (2002) Globalization and Human Rights. Berkeley: University of California Cabral Barreto, Ireneu (2001) A Convenção Europeia dos Direitos do Homem (Anotada). Coimbra: Coimbra Editora Falk, Richard (2000) Human Rights Horizons: the pursuit of justice in a globalizing world. New York/London: Routledge. Goold, Benjamin & Lazarus, Liora (2007) Security and Human Rights (Bloomsbury Publishing) Griffin, James (2009). On Human Rights, Oxford: Oxford University Press Haas, Michael (2008) International Human Rights: a comprehensive introduction.London/New York: Routledge. Krause, Keith, (1997) Critical Security Studies: Concepts And Strategies (Routledge) Milbank, John (2012) “Against Human Rights: Liberty in the Western Tradition”, Oxford Journal of Law and Religion , Jan 2012 Reidel, Laura(2010) What are Cultural Rights? Protecting Groups With Individual Rights, Journal of Human Rights, 9:1, 65-80. Vincent, R. John (1986). Human Rights and International Relations . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Williams, P. D. (2008) Security Studies: An Introduction (London: Routledge)
Language	Portuguese. Tutorial support is available in English.