Course Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time (EST). Course due dates are according to this time zone.

What are human rights, and are they fundamental to everyone, regardless of where they live? If so, how are these rights determined and provided? These are just two of the many questions we will address in this course, paying particular attention to how states and international organizations strive to protect individuals and groups throughout the world. To that end, key elements of international law will be analyzed, including the increasing use of transitional justice as a means to deter human rights abuses and prosecute those that violate international norms, treaties, and institutions.  Illicit transnational flows of goods, money, information, and people have become a growing source of tension and conflict in world politics, with the violation of human rights becoming more prevalent.  This course focuses on this dark or clandestine dimension of globalization, from an international relations (IR) perspective.  It examines the rise of the phenomenon, the actors and groups involved in this trade, and international and national attempts to stop it.  We are particularly interested in the consequences of these illicit activities on security and human rights.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze the historical development of the international human rights regime.
2. Identify the key sources within international law for the protection of human rights.
3. Analyze critically transnational and domestic human rights issues. 
4. Discuss the international legal foundation for transitional justice.

Please review FIU's Policies and Netiquette webpage. The policies webpage contains essential information regarding guidelines relevant to all courses at FIU, as well as additional information about acceptable netiquette for online courses.

As a member of the FIU community you are expected to be knowledgeable about the behavioral expectations set forth in the FIU Student Conduct and Honor Code.

One of the greatest barriers to taking an online course is a lack of basic computer literacy. By computer literacy we mean being able to manage and organize computer files efficiently, and learning to use your computer's operating system and software quickly and easily. Keep in mind that this is not a computer literacy course; but students enrolled in online courses are expected to have moderate proficiency using a computer. Please go to the "What's Required" webpage to find out more information on this subject.

Privacy Policy Statements for Partners and Vendors

• Canvas
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Google
• Zoom
• Turnitin
• Respondus LockDown Browser

Please visit our Technical Requirements webpage for additional information.

The Disability Resource Center collaborates with students, faculty, staff, and community members to create diverse learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive and sustainable. The DRC provides FIU students with disabilities the necessary support to successfully complete their education and participate in activities available to all students. If you have a diagnosed disability and plan to utilize academic accommodations, please contact the Center at 305-348-3532 or visit them at the Graham Center GC 190 (BBC: WUC 139, 305-919-5345).

For additional assistance please contact FIU's Disability Resource Center.

Web Accessibility Statements for Partners and Vendors 

• Canvas
• Microsoft
• Adobe
• Google
• Zoom
• Turnitin
• Respondus LockDown Browser

Please visit our ADA Compliance webpage for additional information about accessibility involving the tools used in this course.

Florida International University is a community dedicated to generating and imparting knowledge through excellent teaching and research, the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas and community service. All students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly to demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic conduct, which demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to understand that if they are found responsible for academic misconduct, they will be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and sanctions, as outlined in the Student Handbook.

Academic Misconduct includes: Cheating – The unauthorized use of books, notes, aids, electronic sources; or assistance from another person with respect to examinations, course assignments, field service reports, class recitations; or the unauthorized possession of examination papers or course materials, whether originally authorized or not. Plagiarism – The use and appropriation of another’s work without any indication of the source and the representation of such work as the student’s own. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas, expressions or materials taken from another source, including internet sources, is responsible for plagiarism.

Learn more about the academic integrity policies and procedures as well as student resources that can help you prepare for a successful semester.

Statement of Understanding between Professor and Student

Every student must respect the right of all to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students must adhere to a standard of academic conduct, demonstrating respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. As a student taking this class: 

• I will not represent someone else's work as my own 
• I will not cheat, nor will I aid in another's cheating

If you are looking for help for yourself or a fellow classmate, Panthers Care encourages you to express any concerns you may come across as it relates to any personal behavior concerns or worries you have, for the classmate’s well-being or yours; you are encouraged to share your concerns with FIU’s Panthers Care website.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free and confidential help for anxiety, depression, stress, and other concerns that life brings. Professional counselors are available for same-day appointments. Don’t wait to call 305-348-2277 to set up a time to talk or visit the online self-help portal.

There are no prerequisites for this course. Review more information about prerequisites in the course catalog.

This is an online course, which means most (if not all) of the course work will be conducted online. Expectations for performance in an online course are the same for a traditional course. In fact, online courses require a degree of self-motivation, self-discipline, and technology skills which can make these courses more demanding for some students.

Students are expected to:

• Review the getting started page located in the course modules;
• Introduce yourself to the class during the first week by posting a self-introduction in the appropriate discussion;
• Take the practice quiz to ensure that your computer is compatible with the learning management system, Canvas;
• Interact online with instructor and peers;
• Review and follow the course calendar and weekly outlines;
• Log in to the course 3 times per week;
• Respond to discussions by the due date specified. No late work will be accepted; 
• Respond to emails within 2 days; 
• Submit assignments by the corresponding deadline.

The instructor will:

• Log in to the course 4 times per week;
• Respond to discussion postings within 2 days of the deadline; 
• Respond to emails within 24 hours; 
• Grade assignments within 3 days of the assignment deadline.

Communication in this course will take place via the Canvas Inbox. Check out the Canvas Conversations Tutorial or Canvas Guide to learn how to communicate with your instructor and peers using Announcements, Discussions, and the Inbox. I will respond to all correspondences within 24 hours.

Zoom is a video conference tool that you can use to interact with your professor and fellow students by sharing screens, chatting, broadcasting live video/audio, and taking part in other interactive online activities. We will be utilizing this tool to conduct virtual office hours and live lectures, twice a week. Lectures will be recorded and available through the Zoom section of Canvas, for your convenience.

Zoom Meetings will be held on the following dates/time:

• Tuesdays from 12:00pm-2:00pm

Zoom meetings can be accessed via the Zoom link in the course navigation menu. Once you click on the Zoom link, it will route you to join the meeting for the respective class session. You will also be able to view upcoming meetings, previous meetings that you have already joined, and meeting recordings. Before joining an actual class session:

• Reference the Zoom Student Tutorials to learn about the tool, how to access your meeting room, and share your screen.
• Access the Zoom Test Meeting Room to test out the software before joining an actual session.

If you encounter any technical difficulties, please contact the FIU Canvas Help Team. Please ensure you contact support immediately upon the issue occurring.

I will post one discussion question during the semester on Canvas, where each seminar participant is expected to submit a response in the Discussion Board. Your response should be at most 500 words, where you must include at least one reading from the course, and one outside source. You must answer all parts of the question, tying themes, ideas and concepts together in an intelligent and coherent manner. Using proper citation goes without saying, and including examples, historical or contemporary, is also encouraged.

Keep in mind that your discussion forum postings will be seen by other participants of this course. Care should be taken when determining what to post. Also, keep in mind that this discussion forum is not a social media website, where fact-free comments and opinions, absent of supporting empirical evidence, are ubiquitous. This is an academic environment, so you are held to higher standards. Grades for discussion posts will be available within 48 hours of their submission. Review the rubric attached to the discussion boards for further details.

This exam will be the mid-semester checkpoint, administered on Canvas using the Lockdown Browser. No notes or books. You will be tested on the material covered thus far in the course. The exam will be available on Canvas during the weekend of Week 4 of the course (Nov. 13-14), and once you have started, you have to complete it in one sitting. I will send an announcement a couple days before the exam as a reminder, and provide more details during lectures. There will be NO make-up exam. The exam will be graded and results will be available within 48 hours of the due date.

To learn more, read How to take a Quiz or Exam with the Respondus Lockdown Browser.

In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you take the "Practice Quiz" from each computer you will be using to take your graded quizzes and exams. It is your responsibility to make sure your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements.

All assessments will auto-submit when (1) the timer runs out OR (2) the closing date/time is reached, whichever happens first. For example, if a quiz has a closing time of 5:00 pm but the student begins the exam at 4:55 pm, the student will only have 5 minutes to complete the quiz.

Assessments in this course are not compatible with mobile devices and should not be taken through a mobile phone or a tablet. If you need further assistance please contact FIU Canvas Help Team.

After having read and discussed the theoretical and historical debates of human rights doctrine and practice, you will write a 10-page essay, font size 12 on a pertinent, contemporary human rights issue. Proper citations, correct grammar and punctuation are basic expectations, but original insights will be rewarded the most, while also incorporating the materials covered in class. I will provide more details in a separate document on Canvas, as well as a grading rubric.

Turnitin will be utilized to check for plagiarism, which (if found) will result in automatic failure of the course. To learn more, read How to Submit a Turnitin Assignment. The late penalty is one grade level per day, starting from 1 minute past the stated deadline. Sickness or other late excuses must be accompanied by a doctor’s note or similar.