Human Rights

As a field of academic study, human rights cuts across a wide variety of disciplines. It sits at the heart of law, political science, theology and history.

This programme is designed to provide you with a theoretical and practical understanding of international human rights law in its broader political context, such as the relationship between human rights and conflict resolution.

You will be able to explore the role of human rights globally and the international and national machinery that promotes and enforces rights, while focusing on how academic debates connect to the evolution and practice of human rights.

The University is home to a number of research centres and networks in the areas of justice, health, development, environment and society, and agriculture and food security. Each of these contribute to the ways in which we address crucial global challenges that span the ambit of civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. These centres offer opportunities to further develop your understanding of different aspects of human rights or to peak your interest in new areas.

Opportunities for extra-curricular engagement – such as additional one-off seminars, lectures or discussion groups – are offered by centres across the Law School and broader University, such as:

Global Justice Academy

Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law

Edinburgh Centre for Constitutional Law

Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research

Centre for Security Research

Observatory of Children’s Human Rights Scotland

As a student on this programme, you will have the unique opportunity to draw on the academic space for learning human rights created by the activities and research of these various centres.