Global Literature and Human Rights

Catalog description

This course will explore the theme of global human rights and literary expression. We will read literary texts addressing the issues raised by Sander Gilman in the above quotation. They will help us consider the role of art and literature in the struggle for human rights, including the writer's struggle to represent often unspeakable crimes against humanity and create a cultural memory that recognizes the forgotten or marginalized voices from the past. What does it mean to bear witness through literature? What is the reader's role in the process? The role of advancing technologies in documenting and archiving human rights crises will also be examined. Interdisciplinary perspectives, including historical/legal documents; psychological theories on torture, traumatic memory, and witnessing; and sociological research on collective/cultural dimensions of human rights issues, will be addressed. The class will explore human rights issues across cultures and continents, making every effort to respect specific cultural values and practices while also thinking about the universal implications of human rights. Prerequisite Course(s): Prerequisite: Take one course in each group: Group 1 (FCWR 101 or FCWR 111 or WRIT 101 or WRIT 111) and Group 2 (FCWR 151 or FCWR 161 or WRIT 151 or WRIT 161) Classroom Hours - Laboratory and/or Studio Hours – Course Credits: 3-0-3