INTSTDS 3450: Human Rights: An Introduction
Provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the conceptual history as well as the practice of human rights. It traces the evolution of the idea of human rights, its adoption in international and domestic covenants, its role in domestic and international political disputes and its (non-)adoption by governments and civil society. Its essentially contested nature is also discussed.
Credit Hours
3.0
The course provides an introduction to the question of human rights. We will examine the conceptual history as well as the practice of human rights through interdisciplinary texts. We will consider:
- the classic texts
- the history and politics of human rights’ adoption internationally and domestically,
- the currency of the concept of human rights in domestic and international political disputes,
- the critics that have challenged the principles and uses of human rights, and
- views that seek to politicize human rights
Prerequisites: None.
Semester(s) Offered:
Autumn
Spring