MA Globalising Justice: Human Rights, Crime and Social Justice

Globalisation refers to an ongoing process through which the world is said to be shrinking, becoming in effect a single place. In one way or another, every aspect of social life is affected by this process and this is especially true of the idea of social justice which lies, ostensibly, at the heart of much contemporary debate and policy making/implementation, both within and between states. Increasingly, the idea of social justice can also be aligned with emergent trends in the internationalisation of ‘criminal’ justice and it is the interface between the two that defines the programme.

The globalisation of justice is influenced by ideas from a range of disciplines but two key themes stand out:

The first concerns the dynamic interrelation between ‘Western Democratic’ conceptions of justice and other culturally specific forms of organising and resolving ‘conflicts’. This involves problems of compatibility, barriers and transference between differing societies, and views resultant conflicts in the broadest sense to include rules and access to resources.

The second involves the emergence of ‘trans-national’ attempts to distil and institutionalise ‘global’ principles of ‘justice’, e.g. via the International Criminal Court, the World Bank and other organisations involved in ‘meting out’ criminal and social justice and resources to achieve these ends.

‘Globalising Justice’ takes these themes to be interlinked in that a proper analysis of the possibility of trans-national justice, social, criminal, or both, cannot proceed outwith the consideration of the specific interchange between liberal democratic and alternative renditions of ‘justice’. These themes are held to be interdependent and are reflected in the title ‘Globalising Justice’, which imparts a genuinely critical complexion to the debate about whether there is an established process of Globalisation and, if so, the forms by which it may be manifest. This applies equally to the import/export trade in justice between nations as it does to the formulation of trans-national attempts to move beyond the nation state. It is envisaged that students interested in either of these processes need to embrace them both in order to reach an understanding of the shades of globalising tendencies claimed to be at work in contemporary societies.

The MA enables students to explore the concepts of human rights, criminal and social justice in a global context, providing in depth analysis of the interaction between the policy making processes, mechanisms and institutions that influence the globalisation of justice. For example, the impact of contemporary agendas focussed on ‘terrorism’ and ‘trans-national crime’ is examined in relation to global trends in the identification of ‘citizenship’ and against standards inspired by international human rights agendas. Similarly, issues of poverty and inequality are analysed in relation to international and supranational organisations whose remits extend to these issues.

The programme offers a unique, varied and challenging educational opportunity for students to develop one of the themes of governance, criminal justice or citizenship in a highly specialised manner which will enhance employment prospects or enable progression to higher level studies.

The content and structure of the programme makes it particularly attractive to those wishing to undertake advanced education in the general areas of citizenship, criminal justice and governance, and who are seeking to develop their careers through the possession of a higher degree. It is well suited to national and international students and to practitioners employed in the statutory and voluntary sectors; in health, housing, community care, education, social welfare, social services, the criminal justice system and allied domains, the police and probation. 

Normally, applicants should hold one of the following qualifications:

• An honours degree in an appropriate subject area
• A postgraduate diploma or professional qualification which is recognised as equivalent to an honours degree
• Other qualifications and/or relevant professional experience which demonstrate that a candidate possesses appropriate knowledge and skills.

Candidates holding qualifications other than these will be considered on their merits and in relation to the proposed programme of study. In addition, candidates with substantial related experience which demonstrates that they possess appropriate knowledge and skills to undertake the proposed programme of study will also be considered.

The programme is organised around a common core which, in combination with structured option choices leads to distinctive routes in citizenship, criminal justice, or governance.

The programme is made up of eight taught units: including the core units:

• Globalisation and the Policy Process
• Applied Research Methods
• Tools of Analysis
• International Human Rights.

Four units may be taken from a menu of specialist options and the choice of units defines the route as criminal justice, citizenship or governance.

The options are:

• Terrorism
• Trans-national and Organised Crime
• Issues in Crime and Social Justice
• Policy and Strategy in a Global Context
• Public Policy, Administration and Management
• Global Social Policy.

Whilst students who have successfully taken the taught units can potentially exit with a post-graduate diploma, students wishing to achieve a Masters award also undertake a 15,000 word dissertation in a specialist area of interest related to their chosen route.

The Masters programme is available only at the University’s Brayford Pool campus in Lincoln. The programme is normally delivered two days a week (full-time) or one day a week (part-time) over two semesters which run from late September to February and from February to May. The dissertation is completed over the summer period for submission in September.

Each programme is assessed by a range of assignments and, in the case of the Masters award, by dissertation as well. Students may graduate from their particular programme at intermediate levels.

globalisingjustice@lincoln.ac.uk 

For further information about fees, scholarships and bursaries please see our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees and Funding