Human Rights and Global Politics

Prof. Kurt Mills

Politics 321
Mount Holyoke College

Spring 2002

 

Office Hours: MW 1:30-2:30, and by appointment
Office: 223 Ciruti
Phone: x3083
E-mail: ngorongoro@mac.com

 

And I believe in the future, we shall suffer no more.
Maybe not in my lifetime, but in yours I feel sure.
-Paul Simon, The Cool, Cool River

 

The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights marked the beginning of the modern human rights regime. Through the UDHR and associated documents, states have agreed to respect the human rights of their citizens. Torture, genocide, and apartheid have been outlawed. Everybody is guaranteed equal rights and equal participation in the political process, and the international community has agreed to uphold those rights and punish violators. The reality, of course, is vastly different from the theory. Human rights abuses occur with regularity in almost every country around the world, from genocide, to torture, to gender discrimination, to the suppression of communal identities. The international community has, many believe, failed in a very dramatic way to uphold even minimal human rights values worldwide.

Yet, human rights is on the global agenda in a way that would have been unthinkable not too many years ago. The UN Security Council now regularly takes up issues related to humanitarian crises. Regional human rights bodies, particularly those in Europe and the Americas, now increasingly serve as meaningful places to take human rights claims. The number of human rights and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations has exploded in the past few years. The question then becomes, what has all of this accomplished and what are the global implications of expanded interest in human rights?

In this course, we will examine a variety of issues related to human rights. First, we will examine the history of the idea of human rights and the theoretical underpinnings of the idea. Second, we will undertake a thematic examination of human rights violations worldwide, looking at such issues as genocide and gender discrimination. Third, we will look at how attempts are made to protect human rights on the global scene, from the UN to regional organizations and nongovernmental organizations. Fourth, we will investigate the various attempts to redress past abuses through truth commissions and war crimes tribunals. Finally, throughout the course we will assess the impact human rights is having vis-à-vis theoretical concerns in global politics, focusing on the issue of the relationship between human rights and state sovereignty.

This course will be multi-perspectival. That is, we will look at the is and the ought, the empirical and the normative, practice and theory. And we will examine the issue of human rights from the vantage point of individuals, groups, the state, and the international community. This course is about political philosophy, law, culture, the on the ground realities of human rights abuses, and the role of human rights in the emerging global order.

This course will function as an intensive seminar. Everybody will be expected to be prepared and participate every week.

1) Do the Reading.  To gain an adequate understanding of the basic concepts and to be able to participate in class discussion, you must do all of the assigned reading. Most of the readings on the syllabus can be found in the course reading packet. A few can be found online (These will have the notation Online. Please refer to the online version of this syllabus for the links—http://homepage.mac.com/vicfalls/hrsyllabus.html). One book is also required: Ann Marie Clark, Diplomacy of Conscience: Amnesty International and Changing Human Rights Norms.

2) Participate in class.  Since this is a seminar, it is crucial that all participate in the discussions.  Quality of questions and comments is valued more than quantity.  25% of the final course grade.

3) Presentation on the week’s reading.  Each week, 2-3 people will be responsible for giving a presentation (about 20-30 minutes) on the main issues or ideas covered in the readings, and be prepared with a series of questions for the class to discuss. These questions should be e-mailed to the rest of the class members 24 hours before class (i.e. Monday afternoon).  10% of the final course grade.

4) Weekly reaction paper. Each week you will write a short (2 pages) reaction to the reading for each week. This should not be a summary of the readings, but rather your reaction to the main points raised in the readings. You should identify the key themes in the week’s readings and comment, referring to the arguments made in several of the articles. 25% of the final course grade.

5) Research web page. Groups of two people will choose a topic in human rights and construct a web based on this research. One element of this project will be the equivalent of 25 pages of text discussing your topic. The web page will also function as a guide to research on your topic. You will provide links and other information relevant to those wanting to do research on your topic. There is no set format for what the pages should look like—be creative! The class will have a student web assistant to help you with some of the technical details involved in constructing your web page. You should also attend the introduction to Dreamweaver classes LITS offers every week. You will also be expected to consult with me throughout the semester as you progress on your project. 40% of the final course grade.

Other Policies:

The policies in this syllabus will be strictly adhered to. If you are unable to follow these policies at any time during the semester, please consult with me in person as you become aware of any difficulty. Do not wait until the end of the semester to raise your concerns.

You are encouraged to come talk with me about questions you may have regarding the material in the class. Further, since a significant portion of your grade comes at the end of the semester, I will be happy to discuss your performance in the class with you at any time.

E-mail: All class members must have an e-mail address that they check regularly. I will distribute announcements and other materials via e-mail.

Plagiarism:  Plagiarism is a very serious offense within the university community, and will not be tolerated under any circumstances in this class. Suspected plagiarism will be dealt with according to College policy.

Papers:  All papers are to be typed, double-spaced, in a 12 point font. You are responsible for all errors in your papers, including grammatical and spelling mistakes.

Late Papers:  Late papers will be significantly penalized.

Failure to complete an assignment is grounds for failure in the course.

I reserve the right to modify this syllabus during the course of the semester.

Participation in this course implies acceptance of all of the policies and requirements stated in this syllabus.

Week 1:      Introduction
(Jan. 29)

Week 2:      The History and Theory of Human Rights
(Feb. 5)

Week 3:      The Content of Human Rights
(Feb. 12)        

Week 4:      Universalism vs. Relativism
(Feb. 19)        

Week 5:      Global and Regional Human Rights Regimes
(Feb. 26)        

Week 6:      Human Rights and Non-State Actors
(Mar. 5)

Week 7:      Gender Issues
(Mar. 12)

Week 8:      Professor Out of Town
(Mar. 26)

Week 9:      Humanitarian Intervention
(Apr. 2)

Week 10:    The Applicability of Human Rights During War
(Apr. 9)

Week 11:    Accountability I: Amnesty, Impunity, and Truth Commissions: South Africa and Rwanda
(Apr. 16)

Week 12:    Accountability II: Genocide, War Crimes Tribunals, and Universal Jurisdiction
(Apr. 23)

Week 13:    Student Presentations I
(Apr. 30)

Week 14:    Student Presentations II
(May 7)