LDR/PSC 495 and PAD 695: International Human Rights

HUMAN RIGHTS 1

LDR/PSC 495 and PAD 695: International Human Rights Northern Kentucky University Spring 2012 Study Abroad

Instructor Whitney McIntyre Miller, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Organizational Leadership Department of Political Science and Criminal Justice 335 Founders Hall Northern Kentucky University Telephone: 859.572.5247 E-mail : [email protected] Pronto Name: McIntyremw1

Office Hours and Communication I will have in office and virtual office hours Tuesdays 1:30-3:30pm, Wednesdays 1:30-3:30pm, and Thursdays from 12-1pm. Please stop by my office or log on to Wimba Pronto to access me during this time. I will also arrange office hours by appointment if necessary. I can also be reached by e-mail, and check my e-mail account frequently. Between Monday and Friday you can expect to hear back from me in 24-48 hours, although you will likely get a response sooner than that. I rarely check my e-mail on the weekends, and will likely answer your weekend e- mail on Monday.

Course Description This course will explore human rights in an international and regional context. The history and institutions of human rights will be explored through classroom engagement and a study abroad component consisting of travel to Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Nuremburg Trials site, The European Union Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Students will also apply their learning of human rights in the international context to local and regional issues.

Required Readings

Clapman, A. (2007). Human rights: A very short introduction. New York, NY: Oxford Press.

Additional readings available on Blackboard

Course Learning Objectives Through this course students will: - Identify the basic human rights statutes and institutions - Create a full awareness of human rights issues in a modern context - Demonstrate an understanding of international human rights issues - Examine historical human rights contexts for modern implication - Integrate experiences to become a local and regional issues - Connect human rights issues to student philanthropy HUMAN RIGHTS 2

Course Expectations

1. Participation: Classroom and abroad course participation is essential to the educational process. It is vital to your understanding of the course material, and to your overall performance. It is also a student responsibility. Class and abroad course participation is generally defined as regular class and activity attendance, proper class preparation, completing assignments and activities in a timely manner, completing assignments in the format requested, and participating in discussions during pre- and post- sessions and while abroad. Participation also refers to regular monitoring of and responding to electronic contact by professors via email, Black Board, or other means. Your participation will contribute to both your learning and the learning of the other students in the class. As there are limited meetings in the course any absences must be approved by the instructor, or will result in penalty to the attendance/ participation grade. Students are responsible for the materials and assignments on days missed; this work should be turned in by the start of class period the day the assignment is due. Similar to attending class, arrival to class and activities on time is expected. Arriving to class or activities tardy (or leaving early) for three class periods will result in an absence.

2. Readings: Readings from required texts and supplemental readings will be assigned for this course. It is expected that you read the assigned chapters, articles, or books before your initial discussion board threads are due. We will be discussing these readings in class and during our time abroad. When reading your assignments, please consider the following four questions: 1.What is the general gist of the reading? 2. How does this apply to your understanding of human rights? 3. How does this apply to daily life? 4. What questions remain with you after you have completed this reading?

3. Assignments: There will be a variety of assignments due throughout the course. You are expected to turn in the assignments electronically (through Blackboard) by the assignment due date. All assignments will be graded on quality and depth of work, adherence to assignment, APA style, and grammar/spelling. Please proof read each assignment prior to turning it in. For consistency reasons please abide by the following for your assignments:  Double-spaced  1 inch margins on all sides  12-point Times New Roman font  References and cover pages are not included in the page limit Students are encouraged to use the Writing Center as a resource. Please schedule your appointments in advance. Check out their webpage at: http://lap.nku.edu/writingcenter/index.php

You are responsible for all course assignments including class preparation, class attendance, class activities, tests, papers, labs, projects, group work or other course assignments. By reviewing the syllabus at the beginning of a course, you are responsible for meeting all specific course obligations. Additionally, some faculty may even require that each student initial a document to recognize their course obligations. Failure to attend classes, or meet course obligations is a serious matter and it is your responsibility HUMAN RIGHTS 3

to communicate with the instructor should you have difficulty with meeting any course obligation. Faculty may, at their discretion, reduce grades or even fail you for not meeting specified course obligations, including but not limited to, class attendance, taking tests at a specified time, turning in papers on time and in the format required and other assignments. It is the faculty’s discretion to determine the consequences of not meeting a course obligation, and many times the specific provisions and penalties are specified in the syllabus. Faculty may also require written documentation verifying your inability to meet a course obligation.

4. Blackboard: We will be using Blackboard as our online classroom. This will be where you can interact with your professor, and turn in all of your assignments, receive feedback, and get your grades on your assignments in Blackboard.

5. Teamwork: There may be some team work in this course. Each member of the team is responsible for the products of the team. When turning in assignments it is important that each member of the team is aware of what is included in the assignment and will be held responsible for it. Additionally, it is expected that each team member is an active participant in the group by attending online team meetings, contributing quality work to assignments, etc.

6. Ethical Behavior: It is important that work with your name attached is, in fact, solely your work unless properly referenced or cited. In these days of increased access to information, it is critical that you understand the meaning, seriousness and consequences of plagiarism. If you ever have a question about giving proper credit for academic work, please consult your instructor well in advance of an assignment due date.

The work you will do in this course and your behavior in this course are subject to the Student Honor Code. The Honor Code is a commitment to the highest degree of ethical integrity in academic conduct. By being a student at NKU you make a commitment that individually and collectively, you will not lie, cheat, or plagiarize to gain an academic advantage over fellow students or avoid academic requirements. You also make a commitment to behavior in a professional manner, especially when involved in academic activities off campus such as travel courses or CCSA Study Abroad. For specifics concerning the honor code, see the Dean of Students website: http://www.nku.edu/~deanstudents/student_rights/honor_code.htm.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism consists of using another author’s words without proper identification and documentation. The fabrication of sources, or the act, deliberately or unconsciously, or passing another author’s work off as your own are also considered to be plagiarism.

Falsification: Falsification consists of deliberately changing results, statistics, or any other kind of factual information to make it suit your needs. It also consists of deliberately changing a sources’ intent by misquoting or taking out of context. HUMAN RIGHTS 4

Multiple submission: If you wish to turn in the same work or use the same research, in whole or in part, for more than one course, you must obtain permission to do so from all professors involved. Failure to obtain this permission constitutes academic dishonesty.

7. Treating Each Other with Dignity and Respect: Throughout the semester we will be working very closely together and may be discussing sensitive subjects. It is expected that each member of the class treats the other members with dignity and respect. Individuals' opinions should be respected and valued, even if they are not in line with your own opinions. The online classroom should be viewed as a “safe space” for all students. Disruptive behavior or conduct (whether in-class or electronic) that demeans fellow class members or the instructor will not be tolerated. Please see the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities Section 4.3 for “What the Professor May Expect of the Student.” Instructors reserve the right to dismiss or remove a disruptive student from a classroom in accordance with the appropriate College of Arts and Science Policy. http://www.nku.edu/~deanstudents/disruption_guidelines.html

8. Challenging Yourself and Taking Risks: You have the ability to control how much you will take out of this course. The more you give to the class and open yourself up, the more you will gain in return and grow as an individual and a leader. The topic of this course is something that you will be able to take with you into many aspects of your life and society as a whole. Please give this course your all, ask good questions, be willing to share and learn from others, and try to apply some of what you are learning to your life outside of the classroom.

9. Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments, auxiliary aids or services) for this course must register with the Office of Disability Services. Please contact the Disability Service Office immediately in the University Center, Suite 320, or call (859) 572-6373 for more information. Verification of your disability is required in the Office of Disability Services for you to receive reasonable academic accommodations.

10. Course Evaluations: Northern Kentucky University takes Instructor and Course Evaluations very seriously as an important means of gathering information for the enhancement of learning opportunities for its students. It is an important responsibility of NKU students as citizens of the University to participate in the instructor and course evaluation process. During the two weeks* prior to the end of each semester classes, you will be asked to reflect upon what you have learned in this course, the extent to which you have invested the necessary effort to maximize your learning, and the role your instructor has played in the learning process. It is very important that you complete the online evaluations with thoughtfully written comments.

Starting Spring semester 2011, students who complete an evaluation for a particular course (or opt out of doing so in the evaluation) will be rewarded for their participation by having access to their course grade as soon as that grade is submitted by the instructor. On the other hand, any student who does not complete the course evaluation (or opt out HUMAN RIGHTS 5

of doing so in the evaluation) should expect to incur a two week delay in access to his or her course grade beyond the university's official date for grade availability.

To complete online evaluations go to http://eval.nku.edu. Click on "student login" and use the same USERNAME and PASSWORD as used on campus.

Student evaluations of courses and instructors are regarded as strictly confidential. They are not available to the instructor until after final grades are submitted, and extensive precautions are taken to prevent your comments from being identified as coming from you.

*Eight-week classes will be given one week before classes end to complete evaluations.

In addition, you should be aware that:  Evaluations can affect changes in courses. Evaluations without comments are less valuable and less credible than those filled out thoughtfully. Comments that are expressed well are more effective than those that are not.  Positive feedback is just as important as criticism. Moreover, negative evaluations without any explanation and specifics are not especially useful.  Once grades are submitted, all evaluations are read not only by the instructor, but also by the instructor’s department chairperson.  Evaluations not only provide feedback to your instructor, but also provide information to the department chair for use in performance evaluations. This information affects reappointments, promotions, salaries, and teaching assignments.

11. Right to Revise a Syllabus: A syllabus is required for every class and will be distributed at the beginning of each semester. Faculty reserve the right to revise the course syllabus as needed. Changes in the specific course schedule may happen frequently, so you need to keep abreast of these changes regularly. Should a major change occur in the syllabus (e.g. moving a specified test date, changing the grading percentages, changing the assignment types, etc.) the specific change will be announced at least a week in advance of any activity due date (e.g. paper, test). Major revisions in a course grading scheme or mechanism will also be in writing, which may include paper distribution, email, or posting to Blackboard or an appropriate online forum.

Grading Scale (based on total %) The following scale will be used to determine final letter grades:

93-100% A 73 – 76% C 90 - 92% A- 70 –72 % C- 87 – 89% B+ 67 – 69% D+ 83 – 86% B 63 – 66% D 80 – 82% B- 60 – 62% D- 77 – 79% C+ less than 60% F HUMAN RIGHTS 6

Graded Components

1. Pre- and Post- Session Attendance: Each student is expected to participate in each of the pre- and post- sessions. In order to do this, the student should have sufficiently read the assigned readings. Students are also expected to demonstrate engagement and show respect for your peers, the instructor, and the classroom environment while participating in these sessions.

2. Study Abroad Course Component: Each student is expected to attend the Study Abroad Course component and attend all events, activities, and discussions. Students are expected to act in a manner that will well-represent Northern Kentucky University and the United States of America.

3. Pre-Course Reflective Paper: Students will respond to a prompt prior to the beginning of the study abroad course discussing their expectations their learning, the study abroad portion, and the connections of each of these to student philanthropy.

4. Reflective Journal: Students are expected to keep a journal of their experiences prior to leaving for the study abroad portion and during the course abroad. Journals must contain one entry prior to departure and four entries while abroad. These journals should reflect not only your learning on human rights, but also your cultural experiences. Journals will be graded on depth of entries, not for right or wrong content, as they are solely designed to provide you a chance to reflect on your learning.

5. Student Philanthropy Project: Students will be divided into groups based on their selection of a human rights issue. Within these groups, students will choose local organizations which address these issues in their daily work. Through careful examination of the organization, students will put together a presentation demonstrating the work done by their chosen organization and explain how that work connects with their chosen human rights issues and our experiences with human rights while abroad. Students will vote on the organization that is most deserving on a $2,000 Mayerson Student Philanthropy Grant. The winners will be presented with the award at a ceremony at the end of the semester.

6. Post-Course Reflective Paper: Students will respond to a prompt at the end of the course discussing their overall learning, a summary of their reflection before, during, and after the study abroad portion, and the connections of each of these to their experiences with student philanthropy. This reflection piece should connect learning in our readings and experiences with the human rights/issue and chosen local organization. Utilize citations to our assigned reading and resources from your chosen organization. HUMAN RIGHTS 7

Grading Rubric

Assignment Points Possible Total Points Percentage Pre- and Post- Session Attendance 10 per session 40 8% Study Abroad Course Attendance Full Session 100 20% Pre-Course Reflection Paper 50 50 10% 12 per journal Reflective Journals entry 60 12% Student Philanthropy Presentation 150 150 30% Final Paper 100 100 20% Total 500 500 100%

Course Plan

Pre-session One Topic Reading Assignments and Activities History of Human Clapham pgs. 1-56 Prior to class, turn in your Rights Pre-Course Reflection Paper

Nuremburg: Bring signed consent form to Nuremburg trials article: class http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page? handle=hein.journals/cwrint30&g_sent=1 Bring a list of the top three &collection=journals&id=151 covenants and treaties that interest you (found beginning on Page 48 in Clapham). Review history from Museum site: http://www.memorium- Discuss with your group nuremberg.de/history/history.html potential organizations meeting your convention/treaty Review Anti-Defamation League Site: http://www.adl.org/education/dimensions _19/section1/background.asp

Find the UN convention associated with your chosen group online and read through it. HUMAN RIGHTS 8

Pre-session Two Topic Reading Assignments and Activities Human Rights Clapham pgs. 57-95 Meet with Office of Education Institutions Abroad Staff for pre-departure EU Court of Human Rights: orientation

Read the Court and the Basic Text section Finalize organization of your of the EU Court of Human Rights Site: choice and contact them http://www.echr.coe.int/ECHR/Homepage regarding involvement in _En/ student philanthropy project- collect RFP prior to next Read EU Court Human Rights Article: course http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page? handle=hein.journals/bufhr3&g_sent=1&c ollection=journals&id=7

International Criminal Court:

Read the About the Court, Structure of the Court, and the Situations and Cases sections of the International Criminal Court Site: http://www.icc- cpi.int/Menus/ICC

Read the ICC Article by Blattman and Bowmann

Pre-session Three Topic Reading Assignments and Activities Modern Day Issues Clapham pgs. 96-163 Prior to class, review in Human Rights organization of choice prior to Truth and Reconciliation Commission and class through website, phone Special Courts: Read the Schabas Article conversation, and site visit if possible. Case Studies related to trials in various courts:

EU CHR- Animal Defenders International

1.http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.a sp? action=html&documentId=881060&portal =hbkm&source=externalbydocnumber&ta ble=F69A27FD8FB86142BF01C1166DE HUMAN RIGHTS 9

A398649

2.http://www.bindmans.com/index.php? id=1105

ICC- Bemba Case

1.http://www.icc- cpi.int/menus/icc/situations%20and %20cases/situations/situation%20icc %200105/related%20cases/icc %200105%200108/case%20the %20prosecutor%20v%20jean-pierre %20bemba%20gombo?lan=en-GB

2.http://www.iccnow.org/?mod=bemba

3.http://www.fidh.org/The-Bemba-Case- Questions-and

Case studies related to chosen topic

Post-session Topic Reading Assignments and Activities De-briefing and None Turn in reflective journals on Student Blackboard prior to class Philanthropy Presentations Present your Mayerson Presentations and vote on winning organization

Final reflective papers are due April 18th by 11:59pm on Blackboard