Module LAWM129 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Postgraduate Module Descriptor
LAWM129: Human Rights and Modern Technologies
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:
I. Foundations
Introduction to technology and human rights law
Privacy in the digital age
Freedom of expression online
Comparative approaches to data protection
Non-discrimination and due process
II. Practical application & current challenges
Technological companies and the protection of human rights
Digital identity, blockchain and human rights protection
Cybersecurity and international human rights law
Big data and the protection of vulnerable groups
Artificial intelligence and international human rights law
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 270 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 30 | 10 Lecturer-led seminars of 3 hours each. Students are expected to make at least one presentation supported by a written essay during the seminars. |
| Guided Independent Learning | 70 | Reading assignments |
| Guided Independent Learning | 100 | Preparation for formative assessments |
| Guided Independent Learning | 100 | Preparation for the summative assessments |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
European Convention of Human Rights: http://www.echr.coe.int/
Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/sites/eng/
Council of Europe website: http://www.echr.coe.int
Court of Justice of the European Union: https://curia.europa.eu/
Ana Beduschi et al., ‘Building Digital Identities: the Challenges, Risks and Opportunities of Collecting Behavioural Attributes for New Digital Identity Systems’ (2017) available at http://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/media/universityofexeter/collegeofsocialsciencesandinternationalstudies/lawimages/research/Buiding_Digital_Identities_with_Behavioural_Attributes.pdf
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1,500 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
| Individual oral presentation during the seminars | 15 minutes | 1-7 | Written and oral feedback |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay on a topic proposed by the student (within the areas covered by the module) | 50 | 3,750 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
| Essay on a topic set by the lecturer | 50 | 3,750 words | 1-7 | Written feedback |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay 1 | Essay 1 (3,750 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
| Essay 2 | Essay 2 (3,750 words) | 1-7 | August/September reassessment period |
