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IS30470

Academic Year 2024/2025

Technology and Human Rights (IS30470)

Subject:
Information Studies
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Information & Comms Studies
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Elizabeth Farries
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Our right to privacy, to protest, and to speak out about matters which are important to us are long standing human rights that predate the digital or ‘fourth’ revolution. However, new technologies including Artificial Intelligence, the Internet, and digital surveillance tools are presenting impacts, opportunities, and challenges for human rights around the globe. These impacts affect some populations more than others, particularly those who have been historically marginalised. Meanwhile, state governments are buying and deploying risky new technologies without adequate regulation while at the same time also struggling to regulate powerful corporate interests. This module will explore some of the opportunities and challenges presented by new technologies for human rights, how traditional human rights instruments are used in response, and the gaps between old advocacies and our new technological worlds.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Students will develop a meaningful understanding of:

1. The history, approaches and values contributing to human rights frameworks and the treaty bodies developed to defend them.
2. The role of new technologies in creating impacts, opportunities and challenges for human rights.
3. The mechanisms available and the creative logics to respond to human rights encroachments.

Indicative Module Content:

Human rights, in particular privacy, data proteciton, expression and assembly
Human rights instruments and mechanisms
Interactions between new technologies and human rights systems

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Autonomous Student Learning

101
Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
lectures
critical research and writing
student presentations
essays

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Group Work Assignment: Student groups will prepare and deliver a joint oral statement to the United Nations Human Rights Council. Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
30
 No
Individual Project: Written submission to the UN Human Rights Council Week 15 Graded No
70
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Aisha Nazim Tutor
Jennifer Waters Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Thurs 15:00 - 16:50
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