Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE DBS2201

 
TITLE Campaigning for Rights on an Equal Basis with Others

 
UM LEVEL 02 - Years 2, 3 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
MQF LEVEL 5

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Disability Studies

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit will focus on providing course participants with the necessary material and literature about human rights and disability rights; how disability grass-root organisations have made disability a political issue. The study-unit will also focus on providing the participants with various examples of actual campaigns for disability rights held at international, European and national level. In addition, this study-unit aims to equip the participants with the necessary skills to become effective campaigners.

The study-unit will initially focus on the concept of human rights and the tension that exists in the struggle for human rights to be homogenous yet pluralistic; universal yet particularistic.

The study-unit will then focus on the different international human rights treaties and how and why they have all been silent on the issue of disability. Reference will then be made to the campaign taken on by the global disability movement for the need of a Convention specifically for the rights of persons with disabilities, which later led to the drafting of the UNCPRD. Examples of past and contemporary campaigns taken on by international, European and national disability movements with regards to disability rights will be discussed.

Students will also be provided with the necessary skills and knowledge to become effective campaigners.

Students will be asked to reflect on their own experiences of advocacy and activism.

The topics to be discussed during the lectures will include the following:

- The tension that lies within the heart of human rights.
- The debate between human rights needing to be universal yet particular.
- The different international treaties and how they have been silent on the issue of disability.
- The need for a special convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.
- Politics and disability.
- Disability organisations and the political process.
- Different campaigns for disability rights at international, European and national level.
- Specific examples of past and contemporary campaigns, e.g., the campaigns by UPIAS, DPAC, and the Independent Living Movement in USA.
- Becoming active speakers.
- Devising a campaign.

Study-Unit Aims:

- To make the students aware of the tension that lies within the heart of human rights, that is, between homogenization and pluralism and between universalism and particularism.
- To enable students to appreciate the different campaigns taken on by disability movements in Europe, USA and other countries.
- To enable students to appreciate the need for a Convention specifically for the rights of persons with disabilities notwithstanding other treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- To enable students to appreciate the particular campaign taken on by the global disability movement for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- To make students aware of the politics of disability.
- To make students aware of different campaigns taken on by different disability groups at an international, European and national level.
- To equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to become active speakers and campaigners within the disability sector.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Explain the tension that lies between the struggle for human rights to be universal yet particular.
- Explore the reasons why there was a need for a convention specifically on the rights of persons with disabilities.
- Analyse the relation between disability and politics.
- Describe different campaigns taken on by disability movements at international, European and national level.
- Compare different campaigns and their outcomes.
- Reflect on their direct or indirect experiences of advocacy and activism.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Analyze different approaches used in specific campaigns by different disability groups around the world in order to campaign for equal rights.
- Identify specific disability issues for which a campaign is needed.
- Devise a campaign on the identified issues and plan how to engage with the press and media on these issues.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

Main Texts:

- Campbell, J., & Oliver, M. (1996). Disability politics: understanding our past, changing our future. Oxon, UK: Routledge. (available at KNPD Wenzu Dalli Resource Centre)
- Barnes, C., & Mercer, G. (2006). Creating user-led disability services in a disabling society. Bristol, UK: The Policy Press.
- Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation. (1976). Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation. Retried from http://www.google.com.mt/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdisability-studies.leeds.ac.uk%2Ffiles%2Flibrary%2FUPIAS-UPIAS.pdf&ei=mb59VIKlMcPpaKnIgugI&usg=AFQjCNFycqpH-azpQr6eVm2NLrLl6E4Qdw&sig2=yiZViqef0qUzdCxf-9BhiQ&bvm=bv.80642063,d.d2s
- Kumpuvuori, J., & Scheinin, M. (2009). United Nations Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Finland: The Center for Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Finland (VIKE).
- Vanhala, L. (2014). Meaning frames, opportunity structures, and rights in the Canadian disability rights movement. In M. Smith (ed.), Group politics and social movements in Canada, Chp. 13. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
- Barnes, C (1992): Disabling Imagery (British Council of Organisations of Disabled People). Available from http://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/files/library/Barnes-disabling-imagery.pdf.
- European Commission, 2008: TV, online, on-demand: Modern Rules for Audiovisual Europe (Information Society and Media).
- Government Notice (2007): Requirements As To Standards And Practice Applicable To Disability And Its Portrayal In The Broadcasting Media [S.L.350.17 1 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 350.17.
- KNPD, (2007). Rights not charity: Guidelines towards an inclusive society and a positive difference in the lives of Maltese and Gozitan disabled people. KNPD: Malta. Retrieved from: http://knpd.org/pubs/pdf/dritijietmhuxkarita_e.pdf

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture & Independent Online Learning

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Project SEM1 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Maria Giulia Borg
Amy Joan Camilleri Zahra

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit