Module 1: International Protection of Human Rights, Cultural Rights and Cultural Heritage

Upon the successful completion of the module the students will be able:

CO1. Understand the Foundations of International Human Rights (Explain the evolution and significance of international human rights and Identify key international human rights documents and their provisions).

CO2. Comprehend and Articulate Cultural Rights within the Human Rights Framework (Define cultural rights and explain their scope and importance and analyze the inclusion and protection of cultural rights in international treaties).

CO3. Identify and Assess Threats to Cultural Heritage (Identify various threats to cultural heritage, including those posed by armed conflict, looting, and climate change and evaluate international responses and protective measures to address these threats).

CO4. Explore the Relationship Between Cultural Heritage and Human Rights (Analyze the synergies and conflicts between cultural heritage protection and human rights and discuss strategies for balancing cultural heritage preservation with community rights and development needs).

CO5. Analyze International Case Law and Jurisprudence on Cultural Rights and Heritage (Interpret landmark cases and their impact on the protection of cultural rights and heritage and critically assess the influence of international jurisprudence on national practices).

The course is designed to develop different parts of the learning process, including asynchronous video recorded lectures, discussions on the online platform for specific and topical topics, developing new ideas, presenting, and solving questions and problems, and self-assessment exercises at the end of each module.

The instructor may upload notes, interactive presentations, quizzes, announcements, as well as any other additional multi-media material (videos, news reports, images, interviews, a/v documentation) on the Course’s webpage, which can be found at the electronic used by Ionian University. Moreover, students are required to use the discussion forum in order to communicate and interact with each other. Please note that, other than written text, your responses can include: hyperlinks related to the topic of discussion, video or other audiovisual material, self-recorded audio or video responses, questionnaires and polls, or, any other interactive resource. Students are advised to visit the platform on a regular basis in order to gain access to any newly uploaded educational material, since the above comprise a virtual learning environment for the Course.

The overall academic performance of students is based on the assessment of a written assignment, on a formative assessment, their performance in the final exams and the final assignment. A passing mark in the mid-term assignment is not a prerequisite for his/her participation in the final exams. The final grade awarded to each student is the sum of the grades awarded for the assignment and the final exams. Both the assignments and the final exams are marked in the scale 0 (complete failure) to 100 (absolute success). In order to get a passing mark in the Course, a student must receive a passing mark in the final exams. In a nutshell:

• The grade awarded for the assignment represents the 20% of the Course’s final grade.
• The grade awarded for the formative assessment activities represents the 20% of the Course’s final grade
• The grade awarded for the final exams represents the 60% of the Course’s final grade.
• In order to get an overall passing mark, a student must be graded with at least 50/100 in the final exams.
• Final assignment.

• Silverman, H., & Ruggles, D. F. (2007). Cultural Heritage and Human Rights. Springer.
• Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Promotion and protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples with respect to their cultural heritage (2015)
• Manuel May Castillo, ed. & Amy Strecker, ed., Heritage and Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2018).