Intro to Human Rts Thry & Prac

Catalog description

Over the past sixty year, “human rights” has evolved from an abstract philosophical discourse to an increasingly vigorous domain of international law and transnational activism. For some, it has become the most powerful legal and normative instrument in the face of injustice, suffering and cruelty. As a critical introduction to the study of human rights, the course will have three intertwined components. First, it will examine the philosophical and historical foundations of the idea of human rights. Second, it will draw from the application of human rights within different contexts to consider its practice. Third, it will provide students an understanding of recent debates in the field of human rights and acquaint them with the key critiques of its theory and practice. Open only to juniors and seniors currently matriculated in HDEV. Offered: periodically.