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Unit of study_

LAWS6846: Human Rights and the Global Economy

Intensive November, 2021 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The questions of whether and how the global economy and human rights interrelate and interact have excited much recent controversy on the streets, in the courts and legislatures, in corporate board rooms and in the corridors of the UN and the international trade and financial organizations. It is a controversy that will almost certainly intensify over the next few years. The debate is controversial because it is important, and it is important because it involves two great globalizing forces namely, the promotion of free market ideology through trade liberalization and the protection of human rights through the universalization of the norms that underpin human dignity. On the face of it the two projects do sit easily together. Are they, in fact, implacably opposed to each other? Where or how do they overlap and what are the consequences or opportunities presented thereby? What role can the law play in regulating their interaction whether it be domestic or international law, 'hard' or 'soft' law. And what or who are the real actors behind the economic and human rights power blocs on the global stage? This unit seeks both to frame these questions and to address them by reference to the most recent discussion, thinking and action in the area.

Unit details and rules

Unit code LAWS6846
Academic unit Law
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
LAWS5178 or LAWS3478
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator David Kinley, david.kinley@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment hurdle task Essay (75%)
Written assessment
0% STUVAC
Due date: 15 Nov 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 03 Dec 2021
6000 words / 31 days
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Capstone Essay (75%)
Written assessment
0% STUVAC
Due date: 15 Nov 2021 at 23:59

Closing date: 03 Dec 2021
7000 words/ 31 days
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment hurdle task Daily Reflective Journal (25%)
Written assessment
0% Week 11
Due date: 29 Oct 2021 at 23:00

Closing date: 05 Nov 2021
1000 words/ 14 days
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4 LO5
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Daily Reflective Journal (25%):

The purpose of this assignment task is to encourage and assess critical thinking of what you have learnt on each of the four days of classes. It requires you to reflect on what most struck you during each day - how and why it was significant in terms of your personal and/or professional world views. It is intentionally brief (approximately 250 words per day, with a total limit of 1,000 words), as part of the assessment is to test your capacity to express complex thoughts concisely.

Formative assessment will be provided in the form of feedback on the daily reflective journal as soon as practicable after the submission.

Essay (75%):

Essay title(s) to be released immediately after first day of classes. 

Students will be required to submit a research essay in response to the set topic (or to choose one from a selection of topics) of not more than 6,000 words.

Citation-only footnotes need not be included in the word count. Discursive footnotes should always be avoided but where they are used they must be included in the word count.

A bibliography is not required provided your footnote citations are complete and accurate.

The central purpose of the essay assignment is to test a  student’s understanding of both the breadth and depth of interactions between human rights and the global economy encountered throughout the unit, so supporting examples and evidence should be chosen accordingly. Students should be sure to explain their reasoning behind the choices they make. Balancing depth and breadth in this way, and doing so within the set word limit, are challenges students will need to carefully consider when planning their essay.

Optional Capstone Essay:

For LLM students who are undertaking this unit towards the end of their degree, and need a capstone experience to complete their degree, the essay (see above) will be extended to 7,000 words in length (while remaining 75% of assessment for the whole unit) and it will automatically be counted as a capstone essay. 

NB. Students wishing to avail themselves of this option must apply by email to the unit coordinator to undertake the assessment option of a Capstone Essay no later than the final day of teaching for the unit.

Your essay topic should respond to the material covered in the present unit. However, at the same time, in order to serve as a capstone for your LLM, it should build upon the learning that has taken place during your LLM studies more generally.

Due to the scaffolded nature of this written assessment, anonymous marking may not be practical.

The School resolutions in relation to the LLM capstone requirement are available from the School Handbook.

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: A student must make a genuine attempt at all assessment tasks set out in this Unit of Study in order to obtain a Pass mark and grade (or above); otherwise an Absent Fail grade will be recorded as the student’s result for this Unit of Study.

 

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

• Completely answers the question.
• Contains striking originality of approach or analysis.
• Demonstrates exhaustive or innovative research (where independent research
required).
• Exceptionally well written, structured and expressed.
• Is otherwise exceptional in some way.

Distinction

75 - 84

• Completely answers the question.
• Achieves a critical and evaluative approach to the issues.
• Content and structure is well organised in support of the argument.
• Demonstrates extensive research and analysis to support a well-documented
argument.
• Generally well expressed and free from errors.
• Has a clear structure and is well articulated.

Credit

65 - 74

• Covers main issues fairly well in answering the question.
• Contains no significant errors
• Demonstrates an attempted critical approach to the issues.
• Demonstrates reasonably sound research and analysis in addressing the key issues.
• Has a clear structure and reasonably clear expression.

Pass

50 - 64

• Identifies the key issues, but does not follow through with a reasoned argument.
• Contains some significant errors.
• Displays satisfactory engagement with the key issues.
• Offers descriptive summary of material relevant to the question.
• Superficial use of material, and may display a tendency to paraphrase.
• Demonstrates little evidence of in-depth research or analysis.
• Adequate expression.
• Overall, demonstrates the minimum level of competence in the assessment and
satisfies the requirements to proceed to higher-level studies in the degree or subject
area.

Fail

0 - 49

• Does not answer the question.
• Contains significant or numerous errors.
• Few or no identifiable arguments.
• Content that is inappropriate or irrelevant.
• Lack of research or analysis.
• Difficult or impossible to understand through poor grammar, expression or
structure.
• Overall, does not demonstrate the minimum level of competence in the
assessment.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

The late submission of a piece of assessment, which has not been granted an extension, will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment per calendar day or part thereof.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Ongoing Introduction to issues Seminar (1.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Corporations and human rights Seminar (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Global finance and human rights Seminar (4.5 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Aid, Development and human rights Seminar (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Trade and human rights Seminar (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Good Governance and the Rule of Law Seminar (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Prospects and possibilities Seminar (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: All students are required to attend 70% of classes (or as otherwise specified by the Unit Coordinator) to satisfy the pass requirements for each unit of study. Attendance requirements may be satisfied by in person and/or online attendance as specified by the Unit Coordinator. Failure to meet this requirement may result in a student being precluded from sitting the final assessment.

For units offered in Intensive mode, participation in all scheduled sessions may be expected by a Unit Coordinator in order to satisfy the requirements of the unit.

Word count penalty: A piece of assessment which exceeds the prescribed word limit will attract a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the piece of assessment for every 100 words, or part thereof. The total word count for essay and other written assessments will exclude bibliography; footnote numbers; footnote citation; cover page and include body text; headings and sub-headings; quotations; anything other than numbers and citations in footnotes.

Referencing: The Sydney Law School expects you to use the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (4th edition, 2018) for your footnoting style, although you should confirm this with your lecturer, and a link to the library website where this is set out comprehensively is available at https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/c.php?g=508212&p=3476376

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

There are no set texts for the unit. However, most topics include required readings that draw on two books in particular, both of which are available online through the USyd Library:

As a matter of fact both books are products of this very unit and more generally my teaching global economy and human rights courses in various formats over the past 21 years. In effect, therefore, the two texts are representations both of the development of my teaching in this and other units over time and the collective contributions of the students who have gone before you.  

In addition, there are a host of other readings (both ‘Required’ and ‘Further’) noted in the Reading Guide that will be available on Canvas. All readings will be accessible either through Canvas Reading List or directly through hyperlinked URLs on the Reading Guide or both.

The bottom line is that doing the readings is crucial to learning the subject and to getting the most out of the four days you spend in class.

Despite the obvious challenges of this year’s ‘Hyflex’ format (ie Zoom and F2F together), the course will be taught as much as possible in an interactive, seminar-style format, in which students are expected to be active participants. The ‘journal keeping’ component of the unit assessment (see below) is, in part, intended to examine the degree to which you are indeed participating (or at least reflecting upon) the subjects we will traverse together.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Formulate, articulate and substantiate written and oral arguments using key features of the global economy and human rights laws and principles, in relation to a range of scenarios and issues;
  • LO2. Develop and deploy an independent, strategic sense of the potential and pitfalls of how human rights laws and principles intersect with the machinations of the global economy by reference to contemporary literature, policies and practices in this field;
  • LO3. Listen to, strive to comprehend and respond constructively to legal and policy arguments formulated by others, including fellow students;
  • LO4. Explain and critique particular dimensions of the theory and practice both of the global economy and human rights scholarship and policies by reference to contemporary literature in this field;
  • LO5. Articulate clearly and concisely your reflections on how intersections of the global economy and human rights impact on your own personal and/or professional world views.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

To be delivered in 'Hyflex' mode - i.e. to be delivered via Zoom and F2F together.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.