Dalhousie University
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Prof.: Dr. Julian Hermida
Course number: 3225
Teaching hours: Wednesdays 19.05-21.05
Office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 to 11.30 and Wednesdays 6.15 to 7 or by appointment.
Office: Room 3124
Tel.: 494-6757
Email: julian.hermida@dal.ca
The class examines the interrelation of rights and power cross-culturally. It thus considers how the idea and exercise of rights varies across societies. It also addresses the ways in which rights and relations of power make themselves felt in people’s everyday lives. Finally, it considers the variety of experiences and understandings of these issues across societies and social groups. Examples will be drawn from social and cultural groups within and outside Canada.
· Knowledge is a constantly evolving process, which can be constructed personally and collectively.
· From an individual perspective, knowledge is personal, socially and historically contextualized, and dependent on psychological variables.
· From the class perspective, knowledge is a collective construction, where all participants can make their contribution.
· In the process of constructing knowledge there is a dialectic relationship between the action and the reflection, where one feeds the other and vice versa.
· Successful learning is based on a personal involvement of students in their own learning.
· The learning environment, including the teaching methods, the teacher’s attitude, and the class atmosphere, among other factors, is determinative of the students’ approach to learning, as well as, the learning outcomes.
· The role of the teacher is that of a facilitator and tutor rather than a lecturer.
· Student peers are a powerful source for learning.
· Evaluation is conceived mainly as a formative element.
This course is
conceived so that students can:
1. Understand the interrelation of rights and power cross-culturally.
1.1.
Analyze the
different conceptions of rights across societies
1.2.
Recognize the
role of the dominant and non dominant classes in the construction of rights.
1.3.
Recognize the
emergence of the concept of rights as a product of the Enlightenment and
European culture.
1.4.
Be aware of the
absence of rights in early Aboriginal and Anglo Saxon societies.
2. Appreciate and value the diverse cultures and ideas that influence
and shape contemporary Canadian institutions and rights system.
2.1 Recognize the influence of Aboriginal,
Anglo American and European traditions in the construction of the contemporary
Canadian rights system.
2.2. Understand the tension between dominant
and adversarial cultures in contemporary Canada.
2.3. Be aware of the distinctive Quebec culture
and rights system.
2.4. Value the right of minorities in
contemporary Canada.
3. Be aware of the
effects of the relationship between power and rights in every day life.
3.1 Understand and value the complexity of the
regulation of rights in contemporary society.
4. Recognize the diversity of rights problems in the contemporary world.
4.1. Suggest ways in which some of the rights
problems might be overcome.
4.2. Engage in informed discussion of rights,
power and culture issues and doctrines.
4.3. Critically evaluate solutions proposed to
contemporary problems dealing with rights and power.
5. Apply the theories and doctrines on rights and power to a myriad of
contemporary problems.
5.1. Use the knowledge on rights and power to
analyze contemporary problems of Canadian society.
5.2. Apply the theories and doctrines on rights
and power to propose solutions to some of the current problems of Canadian
society.
Deploy a range of advanced transferable skills such as: oral and written
communication skills, the accurate exposition of complex arguments and sets of
research findings and the critical evaluation of competing explanations or
complex arguments relating to some culturally sensitive topics.
Classroom activities will be designed to encourage students to play an
active role in the construction of their own knowledge and in the design of
their own learning strategies.
We will combine traditional lectures with other active teaching
methodologies, such as interactive lecture presentations, cooperative group
problem solving, and peer review of papers. Students will also be assigned
joint research projects so that they will engage in collaborative learning
experiences outside the classroom. Students will be expected to interact with
media resources, such as web sites, video, DVDs, etc.
In line with the postulates of Writing Across the Curriculum, writing
will be integrated in all class assignments.
Evaluation is conceived mainly as formative and feedback will be
provided all throughout the course.
The evaluation of the students’ achievement of the objectives of the
course will be based on four main components: two exams, an oral presentation,
and class participation/portfolio. The first exam accounts for 30% of the final
grade while the second one accounts for 20%. The oral presentation accounts for
30% of the final grade and class participation/portfolio accounts for 20%.
Successful attainment of objectives depends mainly on class attendance
and active class participation.
ORAL PRESENTATION
The oral presentation of a topic must be selected by the students from a
list of options provided by the teacher. Students will conduct the
presentations in teams made up 3 or 4 students each.
Students are expected to research about the topic and to read from
several sources for the presentation. The oral presentation may consist of a
lecture, a discussion led by the students, a debate among the members of the
group or between the team and the rest of the class, a panel discussion, or any
other form. The students are free to structure the presentation as they deem
fit and to make use of any available resources, such as power point, VCR,
transparencies, slides, flip chart, printed materials, etc. However, students
will be encouraged to choose a focus and an angle through which they can deal
with the selected topic, i.e., they will be expected to select an aspect of the
problem, preferably a debatable, unresolved or topical one, and analyze it
through their own -rather than other's- perspective. An essential component of
the presentation is the preparation of an activity for the rest of the
students. Additionally, students will have to select an article –preferably one
available electronically- a web site or another source of information for the
rest of the students to read about the topic. The article should treat the
topic comprehensively.
The oral presentation will last a maximum of 60 minutes, but the actual
preparation of the presentation, including meetings with the professor, is
conceived as a long process involving many hours throughout the term. During
the preparation of the presentation, students are welcome to meet with the professor
for consultation, suggestions and feedback on the evolution of the
presentation. Students will have to present an outline of the presentation to
the professor. The outline will be discussed and the professor will provide
feedback and further guidelines. Students are expected to present a revised
version of the presentation. During the presentation, the professor’s role will
be limited to listening passively and to providing feedback after it is over.
The rest of the class must actively participate in the presentation as an
active audience.
Passing requirements and scale of
evaluation: a positive
response must be given to the following questions in order to approve the
research paper. The criteria are formulated in the form of questions which the
teacher will ask with respect to each presentation. All these criteria have the
same value.
1. Does the presentation deal with the assigned topic?
2. Does the presentation show an understanding of topic dealt with?
3. Does the presentation show a clear, coherent and comprehensive treatment of the selected topic?
4. Does the presentation integrate knowledge acquired throughout the course?
5. Is there a critical personal assessment of the topic presented? In other words, the presentation is not a mere repetition of the main ideas exposed in the texts assigned as compulsory bibliography.
6. Does the presentation include an activity for the audience?
7. Has the activity engaged the active participation of the audience or have the students engaged the audience throughout the presentation?
8. Have the students selected an article, a web site or another source of information that comprehensively deals with the topic of the presentation for the other students?
EXAMS
The exams will be in the form of essays where students will have to
apply the knowledge gained in the course rather than to recite the material.
Students will discuss and propose questions for the exams based on the topics
dealt with in the course. If the questions have a general consensus they will
be part of a test bank. The exams will not contain any question that has not
been included in the test bank.
Passing requirements and scale of
evaluation: The evaluation
criteria will be given to the students once the test bank has been completed.
CLASS PARTICIPATION-PORTFOLIO
Students are expected to actively participate in every class with a
positive attitude and to treat their classmates and instructor with respect.
Their participation must make a positive impact on the class activities.
Students are expected to be prepared for every class. Class attendance is a
prerequisite to obtain the corresponding percentage of the grade under the
class participation category. Students are expected to create an essay
portfolio to record all class assignments. Each portfolio will include, at
least, the following materials: (i) a title page and a table of contents; (ii)
all the class activities, including one minute papers, small group activities
and proposals for the test banks made in class.
Passing requirements and scale of
evaluation: a positive
response must be given to the following questions in to obtain the maximum
grade within this evaluation component. The criteria are formulated in the form
of questions which the teacher will ask with respect to each student’s
participation and portfolio. All these criteria have the same value.
Grading system
A+: 95-100 B+: 80-84 C+: 65-69 D: 50-54
A: 90-94 B: 75-79 C: 60-64 F: 0-49
A-: 85-89 B-: 70-74 C-: 55-59
1.
Concept
of culture and types of cultural analysis
a.
Traditions
in the study of culture: Weberianism, Durkheimianism, Marxism
b.
Durkheim’s
conceptions of culture: the role of rituals and symbols
c.
Weber's
theory of cultural rationalization
d.
Modern
cultural theory and the rule of law
e.
Functions
of law: repressive, facilitative and ideological dimensions
f.
Power
and law
2.
Power
and law
a.
Domination
and violence
b.
Weber’s
notion of law
c.
Forms
of law and legal thought
d.
Weber’s
domination and law
e.
Types
of legitimate domination
f.
Domination
at the international level
g.
Influence
of hegemonic cultures in the construction of international law
3.
Anglo
American culture and rights
a.
Communal
relations
b.
Absence
of rights at the onset of the Anglo Saxon tradition
c.
Contemporary
Anglo American culture and the emergence of rights
d.
The
influence in Canada
4.
Continental
European culture and rights
a.
The
centrality of the person
b.
The
creation of rights
c.
Subjective
vs. objective rights
d.
The
Enlightenment and rationality
e.
The
influence of positivism
f.
The
influence in Canada
5.
Aboriginal
culture and rights
a.
Oral
tradition. The web of believes
b.
Sentencing
circle
c.
Absence
of rights
d.
Durkheim
e.
Contemporary
aboriginal culture and rights
f.
First
Nations in Canada
6.
Globalization
and Multiculturalism
a.
Different
areas of globalization and their relation to culture
b.
Relation
between globalization and cultural fragmentation
7.
Rights
in post Communist Central Europe
a.
Contemporary
human rights in Central Europe: nationalism, the discrimination against Roma,
gender discrimination
b.
Post-communist
application of western legal rights
8.
Contemporary
Canadian Cultures: Dominant and Adversarial Cultures
a.
The
distinctive Quebec culture
b.
The
right of minorities
9.
Language
Rights in Canada
a.
Comparison
with language rights in the United States
b.
Language
rights in other cultures
10. Power and the media
a.
The
influence of media in the construction of rights
b.
Identity
issues
c.
Globalization
of information
d.
Paper
wave crimes
e.
The
media role and the justice system
11. Human Rights: An International
Perspective
a.
Origins
of human rights
b.
Generation
of human rights
c.
Human
Rights discourse in contemporary society
d.
Cultural
relativism vs. universality
12. Rights in other cultures
a.
Islamic
society
b.
Talmudic
society
13. Gender and Law
14. Culture and Postmodernism
a.
Differences
between structural and post-structural approaches
15. School violence
a.
The
problems of bullying, discrimination and gun control
b.
The
Columbine experience
c.
Measures
for the prevention of violence in schools
16. Immigration in Canada
a.
Migration,
Urbanization, and the Making of Hybrid Cultures
b.
Influence
of immigration on Canadian society and rights system
c.
The
Canadian immigration system
17. Internet and the Information
Technology Society
a.
Internet
influence on the rights system
b.
Emergence
of new problems
c. The issue of enforcement
d. Freedom of speech
Julian Hermida and students, Compilation of texts and sources on
Culture, Power and Rights. The textbook for the course will be the result of a
collective enterprise between the professor and the students, which will be
completed over the course. As part of the presentations, students will have to
select an article, a chapter of a book, a web site or another source of
information for the rest of the students to read about presented topic. The
article should treat the topic comprehensively. The article will be photocopied
(with due regard to the respective copyrights) and included in each student’s
textbook.
A web site for the course is available at http://www.julianhermida.com Students will be able to consult the course outline, test banks, class notes, and other useful information.
All important announcements, such as exam dates, presentation dates, reading assignments, and deadlines for the portfolio, are given in class and will not appear on the web site.
ETHICS
None of the activities imply interviewing or interacting with human beings outside the classroom. However, if students want to interview or interact with people for any of these activities please contact the teacher well in advance to comply with ethics requirements.
OFFICE HOURS POLICY
In these large classes, it is sometimes difficult to get to know each and every one of my students. So, I would like to meet personally with as many of you as possible during the term. Please come see me during my office hours. I am available not only for class help but also for other academic-related issues, such as writing letters of reference or helping with prospective graduate studies. I want to be available to answer questions for all students. So in addition to regular office hours and seeing me by appointment, I will every so often end class early, and invite students who have questions to meet with me right then and there. Also note that if access to the third floor is barred after 5 PM, please call me from downstairs and I will go down and let you in.
PLEASE NOTE:
Students with disabilities who would like to discuss classroom and/or exam
accommodations should contact me as soon as possible.