Can universal human rights exist in the profoundly diverse world? 3700-ISSC-UHR23-OG
Wykład konwersatoryjny (WYK-KON) Semestr letni 2023/24

To develop an up-to-date, critical, and informed understanding of the current concept of who is human and what human rights are; to familiarize students with the modern international human rights regime; to be able to place human rights issues within the context of the evolution of human societies and understand why it matters; and to understand the current backlash against these concepts and what can or should be done about it.

Students will master basic concepts and arguments in international human rights and ethics, analyze related issues in a broader socio-cultural context, and understand relevant legal and ethical issues. In addition, students will gain experience writing and speaking clearly about human rights issues and improve their understanding of ongoing debates.

Course Requirements

1. Completion of all Reading Assignments

2. Class Attendance and Active Participation: Attendance and participation are vital to the success of the course, and participation is expected for all classes. Class discussions will be conducted openly; all perspectives will be listened to and debated civilly. Students might be asked to facilitate specific agreed-upon class discussions based on the readings.

3. Human Rights Issues Journal: Students must keep a blog/journal throughout the class and write about various human rights issues as they encounter them. The journal's format is up to the student—entrees can vary in length and format; at the minimum, by the end of the semester, students should have 25 cases (approx. one page per case describing the situation observed and student’s reflections on the issue).

4. As agreed upon with each student, There will be two to three minor projects during the semester.

Course Requirements

No formal final exam.

1.Completion of reading Assignments

2. Class Attendance and Active Participation

3. Completion of a Human Rights Issues Journal

4. Completion of minor ad hoc class projects

5. Policy on Plagiarism: Student should do their own writing, act ethically, use proper citations, and give credit when due. Students must follow all applicable policies on plagiarism.

6. Policy on late work: late work can be accepted but only if the student has a legitimate reason for missing class or for a paper being late; student must show proper documents. Students should contact me before turning in a late assignment.

1. What can social science and anthropology offer to our understanding of who is considered to be a human and what are human rights

2. Human evolutionary history

3. Types of human societies and corresponding social rules

4. Short history of human rights movement

5. Universalism versus relativism debate

6. Major international instruments of human rights – global and regional

7. Current architecture of relevant international institutions

8. Challenges to the current definitions of human rights and who deserves human rights

The course will combine regular lectures with a "Socratic teaching method" by using "cases" which the students will read before the class and debate in class.