Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
International Institutions and Human Rights
Teaching staff
by appointment via email: rcavallotti@uic.es
Introduction
The course International Organizations and Human Rights introduces students to the study of human rights as the moral, legal, and political language of human dignity, and to the role played by international organizations in their promotion and protection.
The course starts from a central question: how can human dignity be protected in a world organized by states, power struggles, inequalities, and imperfect institutions? Human rights are thus presented not merely as a set of norms, but as a historical, ethical, and institutional response to experiences of violence, discrimination, and lack of protection.
The course combines a humanistic, historical, and critical approach with an introduction to the main organizations and mechanisms for human rights protection: human dignity, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the universality of rights, equality and non-discrimination, international and regional institutions, international humanitarian law, migration and refuge, and the main contemporary challenges.
The second part of the course will examine international organizations as key, though limited, actors in global governance, with particular attention to the United Nations, international treaties, the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, the European Union, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the role of NGOs, civil society, and other non-state actors.
The course is aimed at developing critical thinking, analytical capacity, and reasoned argumentation in the face of major contemporary international dilemmas.
Pre-course requirements
not applicable
Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- Understand the origin, meaning, and historical evolution of human rights.
- Explain the relationship between human dignity, vulnerability, equality, freedom, and recognition.
- Identify the main types of human rights: civil, political, economic, social, and cultural.
- Critically analyze dilemmas in which different rights, goods, or interests come into tension.
- Understand the basic function of the main international organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights.
- Distinguish between States, international organizations, courts, committees, agencies, NGOs, businesses, civil society, and international public opinion.
- Understand the legal, political, and institutional limits of international human rights protection.
- Apply analytical categories to real cases of human rights violation, defense, or conflict.
- Develop reasoned, critical, and respectful argumentation on complex international problems.
- Prepare a reflective learning journal integrating content, activities, cases, and well-founded personal reflections.
- Orally defend a personal position on human rights based on a journal entry.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CP05 - Students will be able to analyse socio-cultural, historical and artistic structures, from a respect for the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, using language that avoids androcentricity and stereotypes.
- E01 - Ability to provide a humanistic/cultural vision to other sciences or methods.
- E24 - Ability to present the results of research project in accordance with the standards of each subject area.
- E25 - Ability to communicate orally in one's own language and other languages using the terminology and resources accepted in the cultural framework of each language
- E26 - Ability to read and write texts in one's own language and other languages, as well as transcribe, summarise and categorise pertinent information.
- G01 - To analyse and interpret social and cultural environments to identify need, opportunities, weaknesses and strenghts..
- G02 - To lead, cooordinate and form part of interdisciplinary work teams.
- G03 - To search for and/or administer economic resources within the framework of an institution or company, or a cultural programmes, project or service.
- G04 - To know how to communicate, encourage and mediate between the various agents involved in a cultural project, programme or service.
- G05 - To act responsibly and produce high-quality, rigorous and efficient work that benefits society.
- G06 - To demonstrate an ability to be open and flexible with regards to cultural and socil diversity.
- HB03 - Students will be able to develop a coherent understanding and expression of ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing.
- HB04 - Students will be able to develop the capacity for analysis, synthesis and critical thinking.
- HB05 - Students will be able to problem solve based on reasoned judgements.
- HB12 - Students will be able to adequately and effectively apply methods and techniques specific to different humanities disciplines when problem solving and when elaborating critical and well-founded arguments.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Upon successfully completing the course, students will be able to:
- Precisely define basic concepts such as human dignity, human rights, universality, vulnerability, equality, non-discrimination, sovereignty, international organization, responsibility, victim, reparation, and justice.
- Explain the historical context and significance of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Recognize which human rights are involved in a specific situation.
- Differentiate legal, moral, political, media, and propagandistic arguments in human rights debates.
- Analyze cases of conflict between rights or between rights and collective interests.
- Describe the basic structure and main functions of the United Nations.
- Distinguish between the United Nations, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
- Explain the role of NGOs, media, businesses, human rights defenders, and civil society in defending human rights.
- Critically assess the possibilities and limits of international action in the face of humanitarian crises, armed conflicts, migration, poverty, discrimination, technology, or the climate crisis.
- Produce brief, structured, and well-argued written reflections on the course content and activities.
- Deliver a brief oral presentation defending a personal thesis grounded in concepts covered during the course.
Syllabus
Topic 1. Person, dignity, and human rights
Topic 2. Vulnerability, exclusion, and legal protection
Topic 3. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Topic 4. Universality, cultural diversity, and critiques of human rights
Topic 5. Civil and political rights
Topic 6. Economic, social, and cultural rights
Topic 7. Equality, non-discrimination, and vulnerable groups
Topic 8. The United Nations and human rights
Topic 9. International treaties and monitoring mechanisms
Topic 10. Regional systems: Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights
Topic 11. The European Union and fundamental rights
Topic 12. International humanitarian law, war, and the protection of civilians
Topic 13. Refugees, migration, and international protection
Topic 14. NGOs, civil society, and contemporary challenges to human rights
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The course will be developed using a flipped classroom methodology. This means that the basic transmission of content will take place, in part, before the in-person session through brief readings, audiovisual materials, documents, news items, reports, or concept sheets. Class time will be devoted mainly to application, discussion, critical analysis, and the development of judgment.
The methodology will combine:
- individual prior preparation;
- guided reading of documents;
- analysis of real cases;
- structured debates;
- stakeholder mapping;
- comparison of sources;
- simple simulations;
- group work;
- short critical writing activities;
- pooling and plenary discussion;
- progressive development of the reflective learning journal;
- final oral presentation based on a journal entry.
Each topic will, in principle, be organized into three stages:
1. Before class
Students will need to prepare brief materials:
- a short reading or document;
- a video, news item, testimony, report, or concept sheet;
- one or more preparation questions;
- possibly, a brief response to bring to class.
2. During class
The in-person session will focus on:
- clarifying essential concepts;
- discussing guiding questions;
- applying categories to specific cases;
- working through dilemmas;
- comparing arguments;
- carrying out individual or group activities;
- formulating reasoned conclusions.
3. After class
Students will complete a brief entry or activity linked to the reflective learning journal, which will serve as the central tool for ongoing tracking and assessment.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The course will be assessed through a continuous assessment system, designed to evaluate not only the acquisition of content, but also regular preparation, active participation, critical analysis skills, the progressive development of judgment, and the oral defense of a personal position.
Assessment System
| Reflective learning journal | 40% |
| Individual oral presentation | 30% |
| Prepared participation and classroom activities | 20% |
Bibliography and resources
Core Texts
- United Nations General Assembly. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Council of Europe. (1950). European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
- United Nations. (1945). Charter of the United Nations.
- European Union. (2012). Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Institutional Resources
- United Nations — Human Rights.
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
- UNHCR.
- Council of Europe.
- European Court of Human Rights.
- European Union — Fundamental Rights.
- European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
- International Committee of the Red Cross.
- Amnesty International.
- Human Rights Watch.
Materials provided directly by the Professor