Units: Justice Studies

JS112/212 Living Human Rights
In this unit we want to introduce you to human rights from a number of interrelated perspectives: global and local; professional and personal; present and historical. We want to move outside the legal frameworks and explore how human rights need to form an integral part of how we relate to each other, as people and professionals, in a human and ethical way.

JS206/306/506 Ethical Leadership of Today's Organisation
The unit analyses aspects of the ‘new thinking’ that is currently challenging ideas of leadership based on the traditional, mechanistic world view prevalent for much of last century. The cultural life and espoused values of organisations are examined in the light of decision-making, communication networks, research and management structures, management styles, professional expertise and personal worldviews. Models of successful organisational development are studied from a ‘value based’ stance that promotes the integration of life and work. Leaders of the future will bring a new style of servant leadership where they will give witness to values both personal and professional. Such leaders create organisations that have a service ethic that will ultimately contribute not only to the nation’s economy but to the quality of life in a just democratic society.

JS201/301/501 East Timor: Rebirth & Rebuilding (Prerequisite: Completion of 1st Yr)
After the result of the Independence vote in East Timor was announced on the 5th of September 1999, the country and people were systematically devastated by a combined force of Indonesian military and local militia groups. Living in groups of three to five, students live and work in a rural community of East Timor for a month. They live with the local people and teach English or assist with medical clinics (option only available to 2 nd or 3 rd year nursing students) as well as help with sports programs and youth activities. The program’s humanitarian response to the situation in East Timor is at a grassroots level addressing needs as identified by the local people.

JS311 East Kimberley: History, Culture and Spirituality
The academic component has been designed to provide students with an understanding of indigenous issues through the lens of current social theory. In this regard, the ERC has collaborated with prominent Indigenous and non-indigenous speakers to discuss issues such as indigenous spirituality, health, native title, education, the dimensions of a narrative culture, cross-cultural immersion experiences and indigenous people’s movements. Then, in cooperation with the Merrilingki Spirituality Centre, students travel to the East Kimberly community of Warmun to spend time at the local school and Warmun Community Art Centre. In this way, students experience the richness of East Kimberly life and have the opportunity to integrate theoretical learning with the lived-experience of the East Kimberly region.

JS315/515 The politics of Underdevelopment (Prerequisite: Completion of 1st Yr)
This unit critically examines the creation of the ‘ Third World’ and the issue of ‘underdevelopment’ as both a theoretical construct and a practical reality. Students examine the history of colonialism, nationalism and de-colonisation in the context of global politics and the development of a world economy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The contemporary role of the nation state and international organizations such as the World Bank, United Nations and IMF are examined, as well as the role of NGOs and other non-state actors. From the ‘Cold War’ to the more recent backlash against ‘globalisation’, what is ‘underdevelopment’ and how does its relate to issues of international social justice? This unit seeks to address these questions.

JS316/516 Peace and Conflict Studies (Prerequisite: Completion of 1st Yr)
Since the 1990s the world has watched as some longstanding political and/or ethnic conflicts have slowly moved towards resolution in Southern Africa, Northern Ireland, El Salvador, and elsewhere. Meanwhile, longstanding conflicts in Israel/Palestine, Colombia, etc, have proved to be decidedly resistant to resolution. New conflicts – often raising the perennially vexed issues of ethnicity, nationalism and religion – have erupted in Congo, the Middle East and the former Yugoslavia. What causes these societies to plunge into warfare, ethnic violence or armed separatism? What theories explain the breakdown of the social and political order in conflict zones? And what can be done by the world community to assist in resolving such conflicts? This unit examines these and other important questions.