DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL
SCIENCES
SECOND
SEMESTER 2022/2023 ACADEMIC YEAR COURSE
SYLLABUS
Course
Code and Title: POLI 468 HUMAN RIGHTS IN AFRICA
Credits: 3 credit hours
Lecture Period(s) and Venue: Mondays:
15:20-17:30 JQB14; Online (Zoom) when scheduled.
Prerequisites:
None
Course
Instructor: Dr. Kumi Ansah-Koi
Office Location: Kweku Folson
Block, Political Science Department
Office
Hours: By appointment/ Via the class WhatsApp group
Teaching
Assistants: GAs: Mr. Salisu Fusheini
TAs: Mr. Rexford Darko
and Mr. Robert
Johnson Menano
Tutorial Hours: Tutorial hours will be communicated in due course. The assignments
related to this course are interactive in nature. Your teaching assistants are
part of your Whatsapp groups and so you can always contact them regarding any
concerns you might have.
Course
Overview/Objectives/Goals: This course focuses on
current issues regarding Human Rights in Africa. Students are introduced to
pertinent issues bearing on the nature, contemporary significance,
ramifications and challenges or the notion of Human Rights particularly as
regards the African continent. They are as well introduced to basic Human
Rights Instruments and also to various theories of human rights and their
practical import in Africa.
With regards to the methodology and pedagogy, it must be stated that
case/thematic studies and focal analyses constitute a significant feature of
the course. In addition, the web and its
resources are very much integrated into this course. Visuals from
various web sources are particularly helpful teaching aids in this course.
This will be very interactive course. The course combines on-site
learning with online learning activities. Students are admonished to always
attend classes and tutorial sessions with Internet-enabled devices (mobile
phones, laptops, Ipads, etc.). Given the hybrid nature of the course, students
are to actively participate on the online platforms in order to fully benefit
from the course. Tutorials are compulsory. Timely and regular attendance at,
and involvement in, tutorials and regular classes would be insisted on.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will
at the end of the course be able to:
a. Identify an
analytical framework for zeroing in on Human Rights Violations:
Relativity
versus Universality of Human Rights
b.
Relate to and interpret commonalities and
diversities of Human Rights in Africa
c.
Identify assumptions associated with human rights
promotion and protection in Africa
d.
Investigate and examine case
studies of Human Rights in Africa based on various thematic foci
e.
Appraise and justify how mechanisms
for the promotion and protection of Human Rights in Africa play out
Online Platforms: The class also utilizes Zoom, Google Meet and WhatsApp to
facilitate interactions related to the course. The access codes for each of
these platforms will be sent as messages through the class WhatsApp page.
Students are required to fill the Google sign-up sheet as part of the
registration for the course. There are separate platforms for the Main and City
campuses. Students on City campus are strongly encouraged to join the main
campus group in order to benefit from the diverse perspectives raised from a
bigger class.
Plagiarism policy: Students are expected to duly cite all sources used in assignments.
Failure to do so will result in an automatic fail grade for those found
culpable. In cases where students copy assignments, they will be given an
automatic fail grade. For all assignments and the end of semester examination,
any essay found to have more than 20% of copied material (based on Turnitin),
will automatically be rejected.
Assessment and Grading: End of Semester examination will consist of six essay questions
covering the entire course; out of which students would be required to answer
only three.
This would constitute 70% of
the total grade.
The total of all three assignments would make up 30% of the total grade. Further details
on these assignments will be provided in a separate lecture scheduled in this
outline. Rubrics for all assignments will be provided on the Whatsapp groups
and in class. Each student is supposed
to belong to a group and contribute to the presentation based on their assigned
category on an assigned date. Virtual presentations on Whatsapp and Sakai
should comprise short clips, audio recordings and explanations which will
enable your mates understand human rights abuses in your assigned category.
Participation on the virtual presentations (WhatsApp) will comprise 2% of your final grade. Together with
the Walk in my Shoes (WIMS) assignment, this will constitute 8% of your final grade. Students are
welcome to post material they find relevant to this course on the various
platforms. They can also comment on material posted by colleague students.
The final report of the group work will constitute 10% of the total grade. Details and
rubrics for the group work will be discussed on the date scheduled in this
outline. Finally, students will also be required to complete a Country
Comparison assignment which will constitute 10% of the final grade.
|
Assignment |
Percentage of Total Grade |
Individual
or group |
Mode
of submission |
Format |
Mode
of Assessment |
|
Attendance/Participation
on WhatsApp Group |
2% |
Individual |
Online |
Participation
in moderated discussions and random quizzes |
Sakai and various
platforms |
|
“Walk in my Shoes” Presentation |
8% |
Group |
Online |
Online and hard copy as video or PowerPoint |
Graded/Peer-Reviewed |
|
Final Group Work Report |
10% |
Individual/Group |
Online
and hard |
Any |
Graded |
|
Country Comparison |
10% |
Individual |
Online and hard copy |
Any |
Graded |
|
End of Semester Examinations |
70% |
Individual |
Online and hard |
Word Document |
Graded |
All assignments are
to be submitted online.
The online
assignment grades, group presentations and reports would comprise the mandatory
30% Interim Assessment grade.
Grading Scale:
Reading List/Required Text:
Weekly readings will be provided in class and on the
online platform. In addition, students are expected to read material from the
basic reading list attached to this course outline. It is your responsibility
to obtain copies for your tutorials and readings.
Other
Information:
This course outline is subject to modifications as and when
necessary. The online platform will always have the most current version.
It is the responsibility of students to regularly check on online
for latest information regarding this course. The instructor will not be held
liable in cases where students miss relevant information as a result of failure
to do so.
Given the hybrid nature of the course, students are encouraged to
ensure that they always have enough internet data and good internet
connectivity during classes. This is because they might sometimes answer
questions online during class hours.
All exams and assignments are mandatory and students who
miss them do so at their own expense. Students who miss exams for health
reasons will have to seek written permission from the Head of Department.
Students with physical challenges and learning disabilities should
not hesitate to communicate their needs to me early in the semester.
All public holidays will be observed accordingly. Provision will
however be made to accommodate missed lecture periods.
I am committed to creating an atmosphere of inclusivity. No student
should feel discriminated on basis of religious orientation, physical ability,
nationality, sexual preference or gender. If you feel threatened at any point
during lectures, do not hesitate to draw my attention to it.
Course Syllabus
|
Week |
Date |
Lecture
Theme/Topic |
|
2 |
May 22 |
Introduction
to Course: Review of Scope and aims of course; discussion of course outline Navigating the
Online Platform Explanation of Class
Participation Assignments and Assignment of Countries/Foci for Class Participation
Activities. Signing up for Online Assignments/ Google
Registration/Assignment of Groups |
|
3 |
May 29 |
Navigating the
Online Platform Explanation of Class
Participation Assignments and Assignment of Countries/Foci for Class Participation
Activities. Signing up for Online Assignments/ Google
Registration/Assignment of Groups The Notion of
Human Rights Theories; Nature; Sources;
Evolution; Legal Obligations; International Statues; Human Rights in
contemporary Socio-Political Thought; and Human Rights Obligations of
contemporary States/Societies. We would as well focus on
the basic Human Rights Instruments and Obligation; Human Rights Promotion and
Protection; and also identify an analytical framework for zeroing in on Human
Rights Violations. |
|
4 |
June 5 |
Our African
Matrix The Notion of Africa;
Basic Socio-Political features of Africa: Commonalities and Diversities Human Rights in Africa:
Historical Overview a.
Pre-Colonial/Traditional Africa and Human Rights b.
Colonial Africa and Human Rights Post-Colonial Africa and
Human Rights c. Human Rights
in Africa since the End of the Cold War African basic instruments
on Human Rights; African basic institution and arrangements pertaining to
Human Rights; and African Contributions to the evolution of Human Rights. Finalization of
Group Categorization |
|
5 |
June 12 |
A survey of Human Rights
in Contemporary Africa State of Human Rights in Contemporary Africa Human
Rights Violations and shortfalls in Africa Detailed Case/Thematic/Focal
Studies drawn from Africa would be extrapolated for analyses. The selection
would, among others, cover such themes as a)
FGM b)
Gender/Women/Child Rights c)
Minority Rights d)
Reproductive Rights e)
Sexual Rights f)
Civil and Political Rights We would as well be
particularly concerned with the Human Rights dimensions of the Civil Wars in
Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and elsewhere in Africa, as well as
with the Human Rights dimensions of the electoral/political mess in such
countries as Libya, Mali, Congo, Zimbabwe, Somalia and the Central African
Republic. WhatsApp Presentations Begin |
1
For in-class presentation of “walk-in-my shoes segment.” While it is not
compulsory for all groups listed on the assigned date to speak in class, it is
mandatory for them to submit their videos by 24 hours to their assigned date.
