Understanding Human Rights

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

HK - Hong Kong, China: This course will introduce students to the field of human rights studies as a cross-disciplinary sub-discipline grounded in political theory, but also incorporating international relations, comparative politics, law, sociology, and history. The course will assist students to better understand the debate concerning human rights as a priority of domestic politics and foreign policy. The course will cover the theory of human rights and major problems in human rights practice, including, for example, questions of war and peace, humanitarian intervention in domestic conflicts, democracy and human rights, torture and terrorism, poverty, and issues of universalism and cultural relativism. It also offers students an opportunity to explore the important theme of human rights in Asia, a region that houses nearly two-thirds of the world's population and includes a ride range of cultures and developmental contexts.