Back to Human Rights in
Global Perspective Home Page
Instructor: Diane
S. Falk
Course Description and Purpose:
The
purpose of this course is to raise students’ consciousness about human rights
issues around the world. Students explore some of the historical,
philosophical, and legal threads that are woven into the concept of universal
human rights, while becoming acquainted with current debates about human
rights, especially whether rights should be culturally determined, rather than
universal. They learn about the role of
the United Nations, governmental, and non-governmental organizations in protecting
human rights. They gain an overview of current and emerging human rights issues
in various regions of the world. By participating in a service learning
experience, they reflect on the social situation in our own country from the
perspective of global human rights.
Method:
Material
will be presented through readings, videos, lectures, in-class exercises, class
discussion, a online conference, and guest speakers. A service learning experience is a course
requirement.
Course Objectives:
By the
completion of the course, students will be able to:
1.
Understand the origins of the concept
of universal human rights.
2.
Understand the role that historical
events, culture, and public sentiment play in the development of support for
the concept of universal human rights on a national and international level.
3.
Understand the role of the United
Nations in delineating and working towards the protection of human rights.
4.
Understand what governmental and
non-governmental organizations are doing to advance human rights.
5.
Understand the similarity and
differences that exist among human rights issues in various regions of the
world.
6.
Understand that human rights violations
occur not just in other nations but right here in the
7.
Identify ways to become involved in the
global struggle to protect human rights.
Required:
Achebe,
C. (1994). Things
fall apart.
Kälin, W., Műller, L, & Wyttenbach,
J. (2004). The face of human rights.
Publishers.
ISBN 3037780177
Human
Rights in Global Perspective web site: http://www.stockton.edu/~falkd/hr-site.htm
(Contains links to readings, related
Additional
readings (handouts) as indicated in the course calendar.
Optional:
Lauren,
P. G. (1998). The evolution of international human rights: Visions seen. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press. [Note:
Chapters 1, 5, and 7 are not optional.]
Student Responsibilities:
Considerable
material for this course will be presented in class. In addition, there will be in-class
discussions and exercises that cannot be made up. Therefore, you are expected to attend,
participate in, and be on time for all scheduled classes. If you are unable to attend class due to an
emergency, please call the instructor and leave a voice mail message. If you miss more than two classes,
substantial grade reduction may result.
You
are responsible for completing all assignments by the scheduled deadline.
Note: This course outline reflects the plan for the course, but
the instructor reserves the right to make changes in the course plan should
that be necessary.
Assignments:
1.
2.
Quizzes: Four quizzes will
be given on the readings and lectures.
3.
Web Caucus Journal: You are expected to
participate in an online conference. For each of the five assignments, you are
expected to make an entry of 250-300 words. Due dates for the entries are
included in the course calendar below. Questions for each entry will be posted
regularly by the instructor.
4.
Participation in
class discussions and in-class exercises.
5.
Service learning: You are expected to
participate in
Grades will be based upon:
1. Quizzes on
readings 3 quizzes at 5%
of grade each—total: 15% of grade
2. Final Exam 25%
of grade
2. Quality and
timeliness of Web Caucus entries 25%
of grade
3. Quality of
in-class participation 15%
of grade
4. Oral report (on
service learning) 20% of grade
Course
Calendar
WEEK
|
TOPIC |
READINGS |
||
|
1 Sept.
6, 8 |
Class 1: Course outline, office hours, assignments, course
website, Service Learning, teaching and learning approach used in course Video: The power of
human rights Class 2: Beginning
discussion of historical texts |
Miscellaneous
excerpts from original texts:
Hammurabi, Jewish and Christian sacred texts, Buddhism, The Koran (all
available on course web site under |
||
|
2 |
Class
1:
Orientation to Service Learning Guest speaker: Tara Fayter, Service Learning
Coordinator
Interview procedures, agencies available, how to work with
the agency to design a learning experience that addresses human rights issues Class
2:
History of development of concept of human rights Video: Around the world |
|
||
|
3
|
Class 1: Continuing discussion of historical texts History
of development of concept of human rights: The
early 20th Century Class 2: History
of development of concept of human rights: World War II and the Holocaust |
Miscellaneous excerpts from original texts: Magna Carta, Beccaria,
US Declaration of Independence, US Bill of Rights, Douglas (excerpts from An Appeal to Congress for Universal
Suffrage), John Locke (excerpts from Second
Treatise of Government)--(all available on course web site under
Readings) Human Rights Time
Line (available on course web site—link from Home Page) Lauren, Ch. 5 (pp.
139-151) (handout) |
||
4 |
Class 1: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Amnesty International CDs Class 2: Quiz 1
(history of development of human rights idea, UDHR) Philosophical and value basis
underlying concept of human rights, review |
Lauren, Ch. 7 (handout) Historical developments and
philosophical values (handout) |
||
|
5
Oct.
4, 6 |
Class1: The role and structure of the United Nations Guest speaker: Michael Cronin, Assistant Professor of
Social Work The role of national human rights
institutions Class 2: The role of non-governmental organizations Guest speaker: Charles Herlands,
Professor of Mathematics and leader, Stockton’s Amnesty International |
UN structure (handout) What are human rights? (Kälin, Műller,
& Wyttenbach, pp. 14-33) Before class, please review the
Amnesty International and Amnesty |
|
|
6 |
Class 1: Human rights case example: The right to food Class 2: The right to housing |
Why is half the planet hungry? (Kälin, Műller,
& Wyttenbach, pp. 187-229) Is it human to live in a cardboard
box? (Kälin,
Műller, & Wyttenbach, pp. 275-) |
|
|
7 |
Class
1:
The right to health Class 2: Hunger
and homelessness in Guest speaker: John Scotland, President, Friends of Jean
Webster |
Must a woman’s life in |
|
|
8 |
Class 1: DISCUSSION OF
SERVICE LEARNING Class
2:
Quiz 2 (Role of the UN,
governmental and non-governmental organizations, right to food, housing,
health) Cultural
relativism, part 1 (Introduction
to Achebe) Video: Beyond the Veil |
Begin
reading Achebe, Things fall apart |
|
|
9 Nov.
1, 3 |
Class 1: Preceptorial
Advising: No class Class 2: Cultural relativism, part 2
|
Achebe,
Things fall apart |
|
|
10 |
Class 1: Cultural
relativism, part 3 Role play Class 2: Prohibition
of discrimination Video: Women
under attack |
Achebe,
Things fall apart How can they say I am different just because of the colour of my skin? (Kälin,
Műller, & Wyttenbach, pp. 107-181) |
|
|
11 |
Class 1: Prohibition of discrimination Video: Forgotten
people Class 2: :
The rights of minorities and indigenous peoples Video: |
King, Address at
March on |
|
|
12 |
Class 1: The rights
of minorities and indigenous peoples Video: Class 2: Quiz 3 (cultural relativism,
discrimination, rights of minorities and indigenous peoples) The right to life Video: The world’s children |
Dalai
Lama, Nobel Prize acceptance speech (available on course website under Is the state entitled to kill? (Kälin,
Műller, & Wyttenbach, pp. 435-469) |
|
|
13 Nov.
29, Dec. 1 |
Class 1: The right to education Class
2: The right to work |
Is it possible to be free and equal without
education? (Kälin, Műller, & Wyttenbach, pp.
435-469) Human capital or human beings? (Kälin,
Műller, & Wyttenbach, pp. 475-517) |
|
|
14 Dec.
6, 8 |
Class
1: The rights of refugees and displaced persons Class
2: |
Nowhere to run, no place to hide (Kälin, Műller,
& Wyttenbach, pp. 667-713) |
|
|
15 |
Class 1: Fair trial
and the prohibition of torture Class 2: Final Exam |
“How does one man assert his power over another, Winston?”
–Winston thought. “By making him suffer,” he said (Kälin, Műller,
& Wyttenbach, pp. 571-613) |
|