A primary goal of CfHR is to encourage research and education on all aspects of human rights, from conceptual to applied. The Committee encourages colleagues to think, write and conduct research that touches on all areas of human rights.  Teaching courses related to this field in a university setting will also further the promotion of human rights awareness among students.  Finally, networking with other anthropologists who work on human rights is a vital aspect of this work. To assist our colleagues in achieving these goals, the Committee has compiled background information and a resource list, bibliographies and various course syllabi pertaining to human rights issues, a directory of scholars who work on human rights issues and additional contributions of bibliographies, resources, and syllabi are welcome.  To add your name to the directory of scholars, email Joslyn Osten (josten@aaanet.org).

Background and Resource List

Human Rights Instruments

• The Rights of Indigenous Peoples: International Instruments (PDF)
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights - United Nations
• Human Rights Curricula Survey

Human Rights Organizations

• Human Rights Groups (PDF)
• Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Advocacy Organizations (PDF)
• Groups Working with Genocide Issues (PDF)
• Human Rights Library - Univ of Minnesota

Bibliographies (All Links are PDF)

• Afghan, Arab, Arab-American and Middle East Issues: A Bibliography, Robert K. Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Children's Rights as Human Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Conflict, Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Environmental Justice and Human Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Genocide, Ethnocide, Ecocide, with Special Reference to Indigenous Peoples, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Globalization, International Socioeconomic Development and Anthropology, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Hunger and Human Rights to Food: A Bibliography, Robert K. Hitchcock, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, updated Sept 2002
• Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Issues in India, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Indigenous Peoples and International Human Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• International Human Rights and Human Diversity, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• The International Women's Human Rights Movement, Sheila Dauer, Amnesty International USA, updated Sept 2002
• Minorities and Minority Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Refugees, Migration and Human Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Repatriation of Human Remains, Forensic Anthropology, and Indigenous Peoples Biological Property Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Women's Rights and Women, Environment, and Development, Robert Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002
• Women's Rights as Human Rights, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, updated Sept 2002

Course Syllabi (All Links are PDF)

• Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples, Jeffrey D Anderson, Colby College, Fall 2002
• Questions, Issues, and Dilemmas: Teaching Human Rights in Anthropology Departments George N. Appell
• Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide Rye Barcott, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Research Seminar on Global Gay Rights Issues, Ralph Bolton, Pomona College, Fall 2000
• Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, Jack Donnelly, University of Connecticut, Fall 2002
• Anthropology and Human Rights, Matthew Engelke, Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics, Michaelmas Term 2003
• Human Rights in Africa: Historical and Anthropological Perspectives, Matthew Engelke, Kenyon College, Spring 2002
• Women and Militarization, Cynthia Enloe, Clark University, Fall 2002
• International Human Rights, David P Forsythe, University of Nebraska, Spring 2002
• Power and Violence in Central America and Southern Mexico, Linda Green, University of Arizona, Fall 2002
• Workshop: "Cultural Relativism and Universal Human Rights" Sarah Hautzinger, Colorado College
• Conflict and Conflict Resolution, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, Spring 2002
• Human Rights, Environment, and Development, Robert K Hitchcock, University of Nebraska, Fall 2002
• Human Rights and Health, Vincent Iacopino and Harvey Weinstein, University of California, Berkeley, Spring 2002
• Anthropology of Human Rights, Dr. Patricia Mathews-Salazar, City University of New York, Fall 2002
• Trauma, Human Rights and Reconciliation I Judith M. Maxwell, Tulane University, Jillandra Rovaris, Tulane University, John Moran, Tulane University, and Steve Wiegand, Tulane University
• Food, Nutrition and Human Rights, Ellen Messer, Tufts University, Fall 2002
• Rights-based Development, Ellen Messer, Brandeis University, Fall 2002
• Critical Issues in International Women's Health, Anne Firth Murray, Stanford University, Fall 2002
• Human Rights and Anthropology, Carole Nagengast, University of New Mexico, Spring 2002
• History and Human Rights: Capitalism, Colonialism, and Culture, Anupama Rao, Columbia University, Fall 2002
• Power and Resistance: Relatives of the Disappeared and the Struggle for Human Rights in Latin America Jennifer Schirmer, Harvard Divinity School, Spring 1996
• Issues in Women's International Human Rights and International Violence Against Women, Vanessa von Struensee, Ternopil Academy of National Economy, Ukraine, Spring 2002
• Anthropology 640: Urban Poverty Brett Williams, American University
• Collective Rights and Cultural Politics, Professor Richard A Wilson, University of Connecticut, Spring 2004
• Truth, Reconciliation and Justice in Democratizing Countries, Professor Richard A Wilson, University of Connecticut, Autumn 2003

Directory

• Online Directory of Anthropologists Working on Human Rights Concerns (PDF)
  

Ways for Anthropologists to Get Involved in Human Rights Work

1. Increase Anthropological Knowledge
   • Do Research on Human Rights as a Cultural and Metacultural Concept
   • Do Research on Specific Cultural Practices
     • Female Circumcision
     • Domestic Violence
     • Infanticide
     • Forced Sex Trade
     • Pariah Populations
     • Cultural Appropriation
   • Do Research on Specific Political Practices
     • Ethnocide
     • Ethnic Cleansing
     • Slavery
     • Rape as an instrument of war
     • Deprivation of water and resource rights
     • Assimilationist political policies
2. Increase Professional Dialogue
   • Organize a panel and/or publication
   • Start an Internet discussion group
   • Develop links to other professional groups, in the U.S. and abroad
3. Increase Student Knowledge
   • Teach a course that includes the anthropology of human rights
   • Encourage student research papers on human rights questions
   • Explore the topic in an extracurricular discussion series
4. Intervene in Cases of Human Rights Abuse
5. • Bring cases to the Committee's Attention
   • Join the Committee's On-Line Directory
   • Organize a Colleague Group to Bring Pressure on Perpetrators
   • Attorneys: Join Human Rights First 
   • Participate in Amnesty International or Cultural Survival or one of the many organizations listed elsewhere in this website.