The Rule of Law for Citizenship Education: International Law and Human Rights
Following the success to 'The Rule of Law for Citizenship Education: Understanding Justice' the Bingham Centre published 'The Rule of Law for Citizenship Education: International Law and Human Rights' a textbook that brings fascinating case studies of child labour, international conflict and the application of human rights laws into the classroom.
Former Bingham Centre Research Fellows Xiao Hui Eng (the book's principal author) and Lawrence McNamara worked with Michael Abiodun Olatokun to produce this resource pack. The book is primarily intended for use in Key Stage 4 classrooms (ages 14-16) though it is also adaptable for higher education settings and youth groups. The book introduces 'the Rule of Law' within the context of the Citizenship curriculum with lessons that aim to stretch and challenge students. Through discussion and debate students come to understand and question the key concepts and principles that underpin law and citizenship.
The syllabus:
- Overall Introduction
- Lesson One- Concepts and Principles
- Lesson Two- Equality Before the Law and the Abuse of Power
- Lesson Three- Certainty and Clarity of the Law
- Lesson Four- Access to Justice and Fair Trial
- Course Plenary- Terrorism and Human Rights
The lesson plans are supplemented by detailed background information, glossaries and activities. To support students' learning we conducted a number of video interviews with lawyers including two of the UK's leading human rights barristers, Lord Pannick QC and Baroness Kennedy QC, who also serve in the House of Lords.
What do teachers say?
The book has been used in hundreds of classrooms since its publication in 2017. Young Citizens, the leading subject organisation for citizenship, awarded the book its SmartLaw Quality Mark for exceptional citizenship resources. Some of our partner teachers had the following to say about the lesson plans:
- "They are interactive and get students talking"
- "[Students] clearly enjoy and are engaged with the materials"
- "Keep up the good work"
- "[The resources] deepen student understanding of international law and institutions"
- "[We] really appreciate assistance that our very small school has received from the Bingham Centre"
- "The resources made it possible for teachers who are not experts in British or International Law to teach basic concepts with confidence"
- "The resources help to navigate our students through a period of political upheaval where they have many questions about the political and justice system"
You can download the resource pack in full by clicking the link to the right of the screen, or alternatively you can download individual lesson plans above. If you would like to request a physical copy of the book, complete our signup form at bit.ly/requesttextbook. By doing so you also consent to receive communications related to teaching citizenship through the Rule of Law.
