HUMR5133 – Business and Human Rights
Course content
Whilst human rights law has traditionally been binding on states, the international community has struggled to make corporations take account of their human rights responsibilities. The rise of contemporary economic globalization has changed traditional discussions on the duties of businesses to increasingly being framed in terms of human rights. During the past two decades, we have witnessed multiple legal and voluntary initiatives, civil and criminal litigations, and campaigns by civil society groups across the world to hold private economic actors responsible for human rights violations and environmental degradation.
This course starts from a perspective on human rights violations to explore responsibility and accountability of business actors under domestic and international frameworks. The students will work with practical examples, hear from experts and guest lecturers, and apply knowledge on business and human rights to current legal, political and social developments.
Learning outcome
After having completed this course the student will have acquired detailed?knowledge?about:
- Good knowledge of the links between business practices and human rights violations in different societal and political contexts
- Good knowledge of the arguments in favour of and against voluntary or regulatory measures for corporate behaviour
- Good knowledge of regulatory developments, including civil and criminal litigations
After having completed this course the student will have the?skills?to:
- Analyze and identify relevant human rights issues in corporate practice and understand how these are of practical importance to transnational and small-scale businesses
- Locate applicable source material and identify and interpret the relevant substantive rules and principles on the duties of companies to respect human rights
- Be able to critically evaluate existing human rights treaties, and existing guiding principles, on human rights and business practice?
Having completed this course the student will have the?general competence?to:
- Carry out case studies of human rights responsibilities of selected companies in different social, economic and political contexts.
- Assess the impact of human rights advocacy on corporate practice.
- Understand the practices and impact of different strategies of remedy and compensation.
- Evaluate a business actor’s responsibility for respecting human rights.
Admission to the course
You may register for this course if you have admission to a Master’s programme at UiO or the faculty's exchange programme and meet the formal prerequisites.
Have you met the formal prerequisites at another institution than the University of Oslo, and the results are not formally registered at UiO, you must apply for?admission to courses at Master’s level?(information in Norwegian only). Students with admission to Master’s degree programmes at other faculties than The Faculty of Law must also apply for admission. For more information see?guest student status.
All students are required to meet the formal prerequisites.?Priority is given to students of the Master of Philopsophy programme in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights.
Teaching
Lectures and seminars with active student participation.?
Examination
Students are graded on the basis of a 4 hour written open book digital school examination.
The candidates will take the exam on a PC and the submission is digital in Inspera.?Read about School exams in Inspera
You must familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to exam support materials, and?the use of sources and citations. If you violate these rules, you may be suspected of cheating or attempted cheating.?You can read about what the university considers cheating, and the consequences of cheating here.
Examination support material
This is an open book digital school examination. You are permitted to use any materials written on paper during the examination. This includes books, lecture materials and your own notes, whether handwritten or printed. There are no restrictions on marking up or highlighting these written materials. Printouts/notes from Lovdata are allowed.
No electronic support materials are allowed. Lovdata Pro will be closed for all students during the 4 hour school exam.
Rules for citation are crucial for determining whether the use of exam resources is legal.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
It is possible to take this exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.?Students who wish to retake the exam in a later semester are not guaranteed that the course is ever repeated with a similar reading list, nor that the exam arrangement will be the same.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.