Can you see yourself championing important freedoms and liberties in challenging and controversial circumstances? You will explore important human rights such as the right to life and the absolute prohibition on torture. You will examine the scope of the right to liberty and the right to a fair trial. You will debate the boundaries of two human rights that sometimes conflict with each other, freedom of expression and the right to respect for private and family life. You will apply principles of human rights law to practical scenarios in the areas of medical ethics, employment rights and state measures designed to combat terrorism.

1. Identify and evaluate key provisions relating to Human Rights Law in the UK. Knowledge and understanding, Analysis
2. Evaluate Convention rights and the legitimate limitations on the exercise of those rights, including the right to life, right to personal liberty, right to respect for private life and right to freedom of expression. Knowledge and understanding, enquiry.
3. Recognise and analyse the potential conflicts between competing rights acknowledging moral and ethical dimensions. Knowledge and understanding, communication, Analysis.

The assessment will cover all the Learning Outcomes. It is an essay in which various provisions of two instruments can be evaluated, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. The essay will involve analysis of certain convention rights, with reflection on the scope of legitimate limitations on the exercise of these rights. There will be evaluation of case law from the European Court of Human Rights and the higher courts of the UK. Use of academic opinion will be an important feature of the coherent and structured arguments set out in the essay.

Sections 2, 3, 4 and 6 of Human Rights Act 1998; right to life; freedom from torture, inhuman or degrading treatment; right to personal liberty; right to fair trial; right to respect for private and family life; freedom of thought, conscience and religion; freedom of expression; freedom of assembly.

During the teaching of the module students will attend a mixed economy of whole group and small group sessions, averaging three hours contact per teaching week.

Self-directed study will provide the student with the opportunity to prepare for small group work and to carry out independent research as well as team working.

Large Group Sessions:



These sessions will introduce themes both theoretical and empirical, starting with an examination of the module topics.


The Module Handbook will provide a detailed programme. Preparatory exercises and reading for each session will be on Blackboard.


Small Group Sessions:

These sessions will be similar to the large group sessions, focused on the initial understanding of topics developed through independent study, in a smaller group to enable full participation of all students for the whole of the session, without the need to subdivide the group.

Independent Study:
Both the whole and small group sessions will require the student to undertake study to further enhance their knowledge and understanding. The independent study will also provide the student with preparation time for research materials for small group sessions.

Books:
David Hoffman and John Rowe, Human Rights in the UK: An Introduction to the Human Rights Act 1998 (4th edn, Pearson 2013)
Bernadette Rainey and others, The European Convention on Human Rights (8th edn, OUP 2020)

Journals:
Journal articles, from journals including Human Rights Law Review, will be available on one of the databases (below)

Databases:
Law Trove
Westlaw
Lexis+

Ruth Costigan and Richard Stone, Civil Liberties and Human Rights (11th edn, OUP 2017)

Helen Fenwick, Fenwick on Civil Liberties and Human Rights (5th edn, Routledge 2017)

Howard Davis, Human Rights Law Directions (5th edn, OUP 2021)

The books by Costigan and Davis are available electronically on Law Trove.