Politics and Society · 5th Year

Active learning ideas

Conflict and Human Rights

This topic examines the devastating impact of armed conflict on human rights and the legal frameworks designed to limit suffering. Students learn about International Humanitarian Law (the 'laws of war'), including the Geneva Conventions, and the role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in prosecuting war crimes. The unit also explores the concept of 'transitional justice', how societies like Northern Ireland or South Africa attempt to rebuild and achieve justice after a period of conflict.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• Leaving Certificate Politics and Society, Strand 3, LO 3.7
• Leaving Certificate Politics and Society, Strand 3, LO 3.8

• 45–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 50 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Geneva Conventions in Action

Small groups are given 'battlefield scenarios' (e.g., capturing an enemy soldier, a hospital located near a military target). They must use a simplified guide to the Geneva Conventions to decide what the legal and ethical course of action is. This makes the 'laws of war' concrete and applicable.

How does armed conflict impact human rights?

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Paths to Peace

Display information on different methods of transitional justice: Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (South Africa), International Tribunals (The Hague), and local community healing (Northern Ireland). Students move around and note the 'pros and cons' of each approach for the victims and the society.

What is the purpose of international humanitarian law?

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Formal Debate
• 50 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: The ICC, Justice or 'Victor's Justice'?

Students debate whether the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an effective tool for global justice or if it unfairly targets leaders from smaller, weaker nations. They must use specific examples of ICC investigations to support their arguments, fostering critical thinking about global power dynamics.

How can post-conflict societies achieve justice and rebuild?

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• In war, all human rights are suspended and 'anything goes.'

  International Humanitarian Law (IHL) specifically exists to protect those not taking part in the fighting (civilians, medics) and those who can no longer fight (POWs). A 'Legal vs. Illegal' sorting activity for war tactics helps clarify these boundaries.

• Peace is just the absence of fighting.

  True peace ('positive peace') requires justice, the restoration of rights, and the addressing of the root causes of conflict. Peer discussion on the difference between a 'ceasefire' and 'reconciliation' helps students understand the complexity of post-conflict rebuilding.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Gallery Walk
• Formal Debate