Human Rights

Description
The concentration in human rights offers a model for educating and training students through socially embedded, transdisciplinary dialogue, research and practice. Course work in the social sciences, law and the humanities will prepare students to critically examine societal problems and to design culturally congruent and contextually specific solutions to human rights dilemmas in such areas as child welfare; economic development; education; environment; health; indigenous rights; labor rights; violence against women and water and energy resources.

The concentration provides students with historical, legal and philosophical perspectives from which to think broadly and critically about human rights issues. It introduces them to social science and policy research on rights, conflict and governance; to human rights conventions, laws and treaties; and to the institutions that seek to uphold these agreements (i.e., international tribunals, nongovernment organizations). Students gain background and skills needed to work within those professions most closely aligned with human rights, including some aspects of law, nongovernment organizations and other nonprofits and policy development.

Requirements

• Students must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours including 12 of upper division hours for this concentration.
• All courses must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.00) or higher.
• The Interdisciplinary Component area requires 9 hours from at least two of these three areas: States and Conflict; Social Stratification and Human Rights; Marginalization and Human Rights

Global Politics of Human Rights 3 Hours Required
Select one course from the following:

JUS 352 The Global Politics of Human Rights

POS 494 [*INTER*HUM*RIGH*] International Human Rights

POS 480 Global Justice

Human Rights Institutions and Organizations 3 Hours Required
Select one course from the following:

POS 465 International Organization and Law

SGS 394 [*INT*INSTI*A*GLOB*] International Institutions and Global Governance

SGS 321 International Institutions and Global Governance

OR

JUS 394 [*HUMAN* RIGHTS* ORG*]

Interdisciplinary Component 9 hours Required
Select in consultation with a Justice and Social Inquiry advisor.

Students must select 9 hours of electives on current issues in human rights.

Courses must be taken from at least two of the substantive areas listed below and from two or more academic units. Any course listed below may count toward this requirement, as well as other courses as approved by an academic advisor in the School of Social Transformation.

States and Conflict

TCL 350 Transborder Mexican and Chicano/a Artistic Production, HU & C & G (3)

Social Stratification and Human Rights

AFS 470 OR WST 470 Gender and Popular Culture, HU & C (3) (Prerequisites: WST 100 or WST 300 with C or better; Minimum 6 upper-division hours)

APA / AFS / CDE / SOC 350 Inequality and Diversity in Education, C (3)

Marginalization and Human Rights

AFS 301 OR JUS 300 Race and Racism in the Africa/African Diaspora, SB, G (3)

AFS 304 OR JUS 304 OR APA 330 Islands of Globalization: Caribbean Politics and Political Economy, SB, G, H (3)

WST 331 Asian Pacific American Genders and Sexualities, SB, C (3)

ASB/SBS/SOC/POS/339 Grassroots Social Movements, SB (3)

JUS/POS 473/REL 482 Religion, Violence and Conflict Resolution (3)

REL 388 Religion, Ethics, and International Affairs

WST 410 Poverty, Social Justice, and Global Health, (L or SB) & G (3) (Prerequisites: ASB 100 (or SSH 100), ASB 102 or WST 100, WST 300 with C or better; Credit is allowed for only ASB 410, SSH 400, WST 410, JHR 598 topic 10 or MAS 598 topic 168)

WST 345 Gender, Religion, and Global Violence, SB & G (3) (Prerequisites: WST 100, 300 or minimum 30 hours)

Experiential Learning 3 hours Required
Select in consultation with a Justice and Social Inquiry advisor.

Students must participate in either a for-credit internship with a human rights organization in the U.S. or abroad, or in a Research Experience with Undergraduates (REU).