Freedom of Thought and Expression amongst Other Human Rights 2401-OG-EN-FoT

Topics:
1. What are freedom of thought, freedom of conscience and freedom of religion.
2. Freedom of thought and freedom of expression – two sides of the same coin?
3. Freedom of thought and the right to manifest one’s views in Antiquity and Middle Ages.
4. Freedom of thought, conscience and expression in the Renaissance period.
5. The Enlightenment and the question of freedom of thought and expression.
6. The idea of freedom of thought and expression in the nineteenth century.
7. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the case-law of the U.S. Supreme Court.
8. Freedom of thought and conscience and the free exercise clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
9. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
10. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, cont.
11. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the opinions of the Human Rights Committee in Geneva.
12. Freedom of thought and religion in constitutions of selected countries.
13. Freedom of thought, conscience and religion in international human rights documents.
14. Freedom of thought and expression in its relation to the content of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
15. Current challenges to freedom of thought and religion.

Total student workload

Contact hours with teacher: - participation in lectures 30 hours - consultations 15 hours Self-study hours: - preparation for lectures 15 hours - reading literature 40 hours - preparation for examination 25 hours Altogether: 125 hours (5 ECTS)

Learning outcomes - knowledge

Student W1: has basic knowledge on human rights with the emphasis on freedom of thought and freedom of expression; W2: possesses knowledge on the history of human rights; W3: is familiar with international legal standards concerning the protection of freedom of thought and expression.

Learning outcomes - skills

Student U1: has the ability to discuss issues pertaining to freedom of thought and expression; U2: is in the position to identify both similarities and differences between various human rights; U3: has basic skills in solving possible conflicts between the right to manifest one’s religious views and the protection of other human rights.

Learning outcomes - social competencies

Student K1: understands the significance of the right to freedom of thought and its relation to freedom of expression; K2: understands that freedom of thought and expression must be balanced against other values, including other human rights. K3: is aware that the rights under discussion have developed, first and foremost, in the Western world, where the approach towards them is different than elsewhere; K4: can cooperate with students of various cultural backgrounds.

Teaching methods

Expository teaching methods: - informative lecture - interactive lecture Active methods: - group works - case studies

Expository teaching methods

- problem-based lecture

Exploratory teaching methods

- seminar
- case study
- classic problem-solving

Online teaching methods

- exchange and discussion methods
- methods developing reflexive thinking

Prerequisites

Command of English.

Course coordinators

Wiesław Wacławczyk

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods:
- oral examination: W1, W2, W3
- activity: U1, U2, U3
Assessment criteria:
- oral examination: 70% of the total grade
- active participation: 30% of the total grade
Total grades:
fail – less than 40 pts (less than 40%)
satisfactory – 40-47 pts (40-47%)
satisfactory plus – 48-53 pts (48-53%)
good – 54-60 pts (54-60%)
good plus – 61-66 pts (61-66%)
very good – more than 66%

Practical placement

Not applicable

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2401-OG-EN-FoT in USOSweb