Course Description
The concept and importance of human rights in international politics, the means of violation and protection of human rights, and methods for measurement and analysis of respect for human rights cross-nationally.
Athena Title
Human Rights
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The aim of this class is to provide you with a greater understanding of the concept of human rights, including their importance in international politics and the various means by which these rights might be either violated or protected. Further, we will also discuss many of the methods used to study and evaluate respect for human rights cross-nationally. As such, by the end of this course, you should: 1. Have a strong grasp on the various conceptions of human rights, including comparisons between universal and culturally contingent perspectives, as well as the ability to clearly express and justify your preferred view of human rights and explain its implications 2. Have gained a general understanding of many of the sources of human rights violations, as well as the many ways in which human rights may be violated and the cross-national extent of the problem of human rights violations 3. Be able to list and discuss the implementation and effectiveness of several types of efforts aimed at improving respect for human rights, including the efforts associated with international law, powerful states, and non-governmental organizations 4. Be capable of designing and conducting original research on the topic of human rights 5. Be able to effectively critique and communicate information about both your research and the work of others
Topical Outline
1. Conceptual, Historical, Philosophical, and Legal Underpinnings of Human Rights 2. Measuring Human Rights 3. General Theories and Determinants of Human Rights Violation 4. International Law and Human Rights 5. Domestic Institutions and Human Rights 6. Repression and Dissent 7. Political Economy and Human Rights 8. State Interventions and Human Rights 9. Human Rights Advocacy
Syllabus