Information on individual educational components (ECTS-Course descriptions) per semester

Professional Ethics and Human Rights

Degree programme Social Work
Subject area Social Work & Health
Type of degree Master
Part-time
Winter Semester 2023
Course unit title Professional Ethics and Human Rights
Course unit code 058425010203
Language of instruction English
Type of course unit (compulsory, optional) Compulsory
Teaching hours per week 2
Year of study 2023
Level of the course / module according to the curriculum
Number of ECTS credits allocated 3
Name of lecturer(s) Smera REHMAN
Requirements and Prerequisites

none

Course content

This course deals with human dignity as the basis of human rights. Their integration is self-image and regulative within social work.

  • brief overview of the historical development of human rights
  • in-depth examination of the historical, philosophical, religious and empirical perspective and its significance for a society
  • implementation of human rights in different regions and using current examples
  • definition and meaning of ethics based on selected authors
  • professional standards in social work (IFSW / IASSW)
  • ethics, human rights and human protection as a challenge for social work
  • transdisciplinary approaches to research ethics taking into account human rights principles
Learning outcomes

After successfully completing the course, students can:

  • integrate human dignity as the basis of human rights as a self-image and a regulatory element in social work
  • have an in-depth understanding of ethics and take an argumentative position in relation to the debate about universality versus the contextuality of human rights
  • deal profoundly and critically with international human rights documents and instruments for the protection of human rights
  • explain different ethical perspectives and their representatives in a differentiated manner
  • develop an ethical awareness of human rights conventions and reflect this on the basis of their own values
  • reflect on professional ethical problems and dilemmas and justify the resulting decisions accordingly
  • recognize the interaction between economic, social and political conditions and social work with “vulnerable groups” and apply mechanisms to protect the human rights of these groups
Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Integrated course:

  • impulses with activating elements
  • self-organized learning
  • dialogue in small groups
  • reading and discussion of texts
  • debate
  • reflection
Assessment methods and criteria

Seminar paper in german or english

Comment
  • in English as the language of instruction
  • no compulsory attendance
Recommended or required reading

Arendt, Hannah; Kohn, Jerome (2016): Über das Böse. Eine Vorlesung zu Fragen der Ethik. 11. Aufl. München: Piper.

Bielefeldt, Heiner (2011): Auslaufmodell Menschenwürde? Warum sie in Frage steht und warum wir sie verteidigen müssen. Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder.

Hemphill, Sheryl; Du Plessis-Schneider, Sharon (2013): „Excluding students from school: A re-examination from a children’s rights perspective.” In: The International Journal of Children’s Rights. 21 (2013), 1, S. 88-96.

Leideritz, Manuela (2016): Professionelles Handeln in der Sozialen Arbeit – Schwerpunkt Menschenrechte. Ein Lese- und Lehrbuch. Leverkusen: Barbara Budrich.

Pieper, Annemarie (2017): Einführung in die Ethik. 7. Aufl. Tübingen: A. Francke Verlag.

Schmocker, Beat (2016): „Kompetenzen zum prinzipiengeleiteten Argumentieren in der Sozialen Arbeit.“ In: Ethik und Moral in der Sozialen Arbeit. Wirkungsorientiert – kontextbezogen – habitusbildend. Herausgegeben von Ueli Merten; Peter Zängl. Opladen: Budrich, S. 237-258.

Spatscheck, Christian; Steckelberg, Claudia (2018): Menschenrechte und Soziale Arbeit. Konzeptionelle Grundlagen, Gestaltungsfelder und Umsetzung einer Realutopie. Opladen: Budrich.

Staub-Bernasconi, Silvia (2019): Legalität und Legitimität in der Sozialen Arbeit: Menschenrechte im Verhältnis zur nationalen Gesetzgebung. Opladen: Budrich.

Staub-Bernasconi, Silvia (2019): Menschenwürde – Menschenrechte – Soziale Arbeit. Die Menschenrechte vom Kopf auf die Füße stellen. Opladen: Budrich.

Staub-Bernasconi, Silvia (2018): Soziale Arbeit als Handlungswissenschaft. Soziale Arbeit auf dem Weg zu kritischer Professionalität. Opladen: Budrich.

Walz, Hans; Teske, Irmgard; Martin, Edi (2012): Menschenrechtsorientiert wahrnehmen - beurteilen - handeln. 3. Aufl. Luzern: Interact Verlag.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance learning)

Presence teaching combined with distance learning