Course

n.a.

• Brief history of human rights from basic needs perspective
• Findings of brain research on human cooperation
• Human rights documents and instruments 
• Selected case studies related to human rights and sustainable development
• Explore ideas and questions regarding ethical principles and controversies Professional practice and ethical standards in the workplace
• Science-based principles for a sustainable way of living and working together.

Students:

• critically reflect on human rights documents and instruments 
• identify ways to apply human right principles to add value to the workplace 
• develop approaches to implement ethical principles in businesses and in interdisciplinary teams 
• analyse the impact of corporate actions on human rights and sustainable development
• develop ethically justifiable actions and problem-solving strategies
• participate in discussions on professional ethics.

• lectures
• self-directed learning 
• small group dialogue
• reflection
• reading based activities 

Performance assessment (group project during course time)

Field trip to a sustainably managed business: Students explore how human rights are realised and how sustainable business practices promote cooperation and participation of different social groups.

Cost per person: 10 €

Galtung, J. (1994). Human Rights in Another Key, 1 edition, Cambridge: Polity Press.

Gil. D. G. (2012). Confronting social injustice and oppression: Concepts and strategies for social workers. NY: Columbia University Press.

Gandhi, M. (1993). The Penguin Gandhi reader. New York: Penguin Press.

Ignatieff, M. (2002). Human Rights as Politics and Idolatry, Princeton University Press.

Margalit, A. (1996) The Decent Society. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Schneider, S. (2013) Transcultural School Social Work, In: Abdi-Koegeler Martina and Parmcutt, Richard (2013) Interculturality, Practice meets Research, Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Newcastle, pp. 50-69.

Shewell, H. (2010). Social Rights are Human Rights: Furthering the Democratic Project, In Jane Pulkingham, Human welfare, rights and social activism, University of Toronto Press: 114- 135.

Staub-Bernasconi, S. (2007). Economic and Social Rights: The Neglected Human Rights. In: Reichert, Elisabeth. (Ed.), Challenge in Human Rights, New York: Columbia University Press, 138-161.

Warks, J. (2013). The Human Rights Manifesto, Winchester & Washington: Zero Books.

Wronka, J. (2008). Human rights and social justice: Social action and service for the helping and health professions. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

• Interdisciplinary and interactive workshop on "Human rights and their significance for professional ethics"
• Field trip to examine financial business practices with a broad focus on human rights and sustainable public-private and civil society partnership
• Student-led work groups to analysis case examples from practice with the focus on professional ethics to find commonalities and differences across disciplines
• Field trip and video material (e.g. reports, interviews) associated with sustainable business practices to promote human rights principles in company policies.