Introduction; "politics of globalisation...and human rights"; the HR doctrine: theory, norms and implementation; "globalization": origin of the word and possible interpretations; the liberal standpoint and its critics; the "great globalizatoin debate"; tha nation-state and national legal order in the global era; global order, war and HR; HR: a hegemonic project?; the "new rights"; HR and global migrations; HR and gender.
Students attending the course will choose one book from a selected bibliography that will be given and presented to them at the beginning of the course.
Students who can't attend the course are expected to read:
1. L. Martell, The sociology of globalization, Second Edition, Polity Press. Cambridge 2017
and
2. One of the following books:
a) Slaughter A.-M., A New World Order, Princeton University Press, Princeton (NJ.) 2004;
b) Zolo D., Cosmopolis: prospects for world government, Polity Press, Cambridge 1997;
c) Kinley D., Civilising Globalisation. Human rights and the global economy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2009
Learning Objectives
The course aims to equip the students with knowledge of the basic
philosophical, political, legal and sociological theories on integration processes
worldwide and on human rights doctrine. At the end of the course a student will know how to interpret
and critically evaluate the socio-political and socio-juridical theories of “globalization” and human rights;
they will be able to understand the phenomena of economic, legal,
political and cultural integration. They will understand the relationship
between economic, legal and political phenomena, explanatory theories and
systems of thought. They will be able to prepare and discuss in class a
critical report, in accordance with the specific techniques of research
presentation.
Prerequisites
knowledge of English (intermediate level or higher)
Teaching Methods
The course is part of an intercultural project. It will be held in collaboration with the Syracuse University in Florence. Classes will be made of students of the University of Florence, Erasmus and international students and students enrolled in Syracuse University's study abroad programme. Classes will start in January and will end at the end of April. Classes will be held once a week at Syracuse University in Florence (piazza Savonarola, 15, Firenze). Unifi and Erasmus students attending the course will have access to SUF's Library and will be allowed to take part to the education and leisure activities organized for SUF's students. Please, check SUF's and UNIFI'S websites or ask the teacher for information. In the first part of the course classes will be held in form of traditional lectures, but students will be asked to discuss the topics and readings that the teacher will present in class. Handouts and other materials will be distributed in class by the teacher. A selected bibliography will be given and presented to students, in order to allow them to choose the text they will read for the second part of the course. In the second part of the course classes will be held in form of seminars. Students will be asked to present and discuss the selected book with the teacher and with the other students. Active participation of students in the discussion of the different topics will be strongly encouraged both in the first and in the second part of the course. At the end of the course or ten days before the date of the exam ("appello") students are expected to handout to the teacher the written paper on the book presented in class. Students are encouraged to enroll in the moodle platform. The teacher uploads on the platform slides, documents and other tools, which are useful for the course.
Further information
The course will be held in collaboration with the Syracuse University in Florence. It will start in January. Classes will be held at Syracuse University in Florence (piazza Savonarola, 15, Florence). The course will follow the American Spring Semester's calendar. Please, check SUF's and UNIFI'S websites or ask the teacher for information. Attendance is part of the intercultural teaching project.
Type of Assessment
For students attending the course, the assessment comes from
30%: Active participation in class.
35%: Book presentation in class.
35%: Written paper on the topic and book chosen by the student (4000
words). The book will be presented in class and will be discussed with
the teacher and the other students. The written paper on the book will then be given
to the teacher at the end of the course or ten days before the date of the exam (appello). On that date the teacher will briefly discuss with the student his/her achievements.
For the students who can't attend the course, the exam will be an oral examination in English on the recommended texts (see above). This oral exam will take place on the date of the exam ("appello"). The teacher will ask at least one question on each book.
Course program
The course examines economic, legal, political and cultural processes related to “globalization” and “human rights doctrine”. After some introductory lectures (part 1), each student will be asked to choose, within a list of books, the subject and the book on which he/she will prepare his/her research paper. The lectures and seminars, as well as the suggested books concern the following topics: a) the definitions and interpretations of the socio-political phenomena of “globalization”; b) change in the functions of national states and in the role of law, including international law and human rights law; c) changes in warfare: from the system of Westphalia to the "global war"; d) “global economy”; e) global migration; f) “globalization” and social control: “prison globalization” and "global surveillance"; g) “globalization” and gender.
Other professors will eventually be invited to give lectures on some of these topics, so that students may discuss their readings with them. In the second part of the course, each student will then present and discuss in class his/her research on the selected book.
A detailed program of the class meetings can be provided by the teacher, please write to lucia.re@unifi.it