Sociology 252 - Intro to Human Rights

The course surveys the historical and theoretical underpinnings of the modern international human rights regime. Students will explore the debate around universal vs. culturally determined rights, and construct an understanding of the legal structure that has developed over the past 60 years to adjudicate human rights violations. Then, drawing on human rights and sociology peer reviewed literature, human rights instruments, popular media, documentary films, biographies, and other sources the class will explore a broad range of both domestic and international human rights issues.