Program Overview

Course Overview

The course ANTH 208, Human Rights, Humanitarianism and Development, examines the cultural encounters and human experiences that emerge out of contemporary human rights regimes, humanitarian interventions, development projects, and global politics. It takes case studies from a range of different cultural settings, focusing on how culture and politics shape these global practices, and how different groups understand, respond to, and challenge these interventions.

Course Details

• Dates: 6 July 2026 to 8 November 2026
• Starts: Trimester 2
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,156.00 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,893.60 for international students
• Lecture Start Times:
  • Monday 2.10pm
  • Wednesday 3.10pm
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 200 hours or 11.1 hours per week for 18 weeks
• Points: 20 points

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: (ANTH 101 or 102; 20 further points from Part A of the BA Schedule) or GLBL 101
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Course Structure

• The course is taught through two 50-minute lectures and non-mandatory 50-minute tutorials.
• Lectures are in-person, on campus, and recorded, with no restrictions on lecture recording availability.
• Tutorials are held in advance of assessments and in response to student needs.
• Course assessment can be submitted online.

Assessment

• Assignment 1: Individual, 30%
• Assignment 2: Individual, 40%
• Take Home Test: Individual, 30%
• Assessment dates and information about extensions are available through the University's online learning environment.

Lecture Times and Rooms

Lecture times are from 6 July 2026 to 8 November 2026, with specific times allocated on Mondays and Wednesdays.

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to purchase any texts or equipment for this course.

Taught By

The course is taught by the School of Social and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Illustrate understanding of anthropological approaches to humanitarianism, human rights interventions, development projects, and geopolitics.
2. Identify and critically analyze key ethical and political issues involved in international human rights, development, and humanitarian interventions.
3. Identify and critically analyze issues of culture and politics as they affect international interventions and global policies.

Key Dates

Important dates, including mid-trimester teaching breaks, can be found on the University's key dates calendar. Assessment dates will be communicated once the course has begun.