SA4B5      Half Unit
International Planning and Children's Rights

This information is for the 2016/17 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Eileen Munro OLD2.33 and Dr Armine Ishkanian OLD2.42

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Health, Community and Development, MSc in Human Rights, MSc in Social Policy (Social Policy and Planning), MSc in Social Policy and Development and MSc in Social Policy and Development: Non-Governmental Organisations. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

Course content

This is an interdisciplinary course that explores the links between child rights and child poverty at all levels of development in rich and poor countries. The social and economic as well as the civil and political rights of children, as defined in recent international laws, charters and Conventions, are examined in relation to the conditions, especially poverty and multiple deprivation, experienced by many children. Human rights theories as a basis for international and social policies will be a focus of attention. There has to be universal planning and not only specific proposals to deal with serious violations of rights. Issues of child labour, the violations of war, cultural discrimination against girl children and the right to a minimally adequate family income will be discussed in relation to the roles played by international agencies, Trans National Corporations, governments and NGOs.

Teaching

10 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the MT. 1 hour and 30 minutes of lectures in the ST.

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the MT.

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Indicative reading

H J Steiner & P Alston, International Human Rights in Context, Oxford University Press, 2000; P Townsend & D Gordon (Eds), World Poverty: New Policies to Defeat an Old Enemy, Policy Press, 2002; D Gordon, et al, Child Poverty in the Developing World, Policy Press, 2003; K Watkins, Rigged Rules and Double Standards: Trade, Globalisation and the Fight Against Poverty, London, World Development Movement, 2002; C Chinkin, 'The United Nation Decade for the Elimination of Poverty: What Role for International Law?', Current Legal Problems 2001, Oxford University Press, 2002; M Flekkoy & N Kaufman, The participation rights of the child. London, Jessica Kinglsey, 1997; D Fottrell (Ed), Revisiting Children's Rights: 10 Years of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, The Hague and London, Kluwer Law International, 2000; ILO, Social Security: A New Consensus, Geneva, 2001; ILO, P.Townsend, The Right to Social Security and National Development: Lessons from OECD Experience for Low-income Countries, Discussion paper 18, ILO, 2007; A. Hall and J. Midgley, Social Policy for Development, London, Sage, 2004; J. Madeley, Big Business, Poor peoples: The Impact of Trans National Corporations on the World's Poor, London, Zed Books; UNICEF, A League Table of Child Poverty in Rich Nations, Innocenti Report, Florence, 2000; H Cunningham & P Viazzo, Child Labour in Historical Perspective 1800-1995, UNICEF, 1996; G. Lansdown, Evolving Capacities of Children: Implications for the Exercise of Rights, UNICEF Innocenti Centre, Florence, 2005; W.A. Corsaro, The Sociology of Childhood (2nd ed), Sage, 2006; R. Smith, Textbook on International Human Rights, Oxford University Press, 2005; D. Gordon, R. Parker, F. Loughran and P. Heslop, Disabled Children in Britain, London, TSO, 2000. Redmond G, 2008, Children's Perspectives on Economic Adversity: A Review of the Literature, Unicef Innocenti Centre, Florence, Discussion Paper.

Assessment

Exam (100%, duration: 2 hours) in the main exam period.

Student performance results

(2012/13, 2014/15 combined)

Classification % of students
Distinction 11.1
Merit 60.3
Pass 27
Fail 1.6

Key facts

Department: Social Policy

Total students 2015/16: 28

Average class size 2015/16: 14

Controlled access 2015/16: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Problem solving
  • Specialist skills

Course survey results

(2012/13, 2014/15 combined)

1 = "best" score, 5 = "worst" score

The scores below are average responses.

Response rate: 81%

Question

Average
response

Reading list (Q2.1)

2

Materials (Q2.3)

1.7

Course satisfied (Q2.4)

1.8

Lectures (Q2.5)

1.8

Integration (Q2.6)

1.9

Contact (Q2.7)

1.7

Feedback (Q2.8)

2.1

Recommend (Q2.9)

Yes

79%

Maybe

17%

No

4%