Human Rights Syllabi: International Human Rights

International Human Rights

Political Science 470 Professor Forsythe Spring, 2002

THE COURSE

This course is an advanced survey of internationally recognized human rights. The emphasis in the course is on the application or protection or implementation of these recognized rights, although at the start we pay attention to arguments about the origins of human rights and whether they reflect western cultural imperialism. The course and its textbook are organized according to two ideas: actors that affect human rights, and levels of analysis. Thus one finds global actors like United Nations agencies and criminal courts with global impact; regional actors like the European Union; national actors like states and their foreign policies; sub-national or transnational non-profit actors like Amnesty International; sub-national or transnational for-profit corporations like Levi Strauss; etc. The basic questions addressed by the course are: why do some rights receive extensive protective efforts but not others; what makes protective efforts effective?

REQUIRED READING

Forsythe, Human Rights in International Relations, (Cambridge U. Press, 2000.)
Meyer, Islam and Human Rights, (Westview Press, 1999, 3rd ed.)
Gourevitch, We Wish to Inform You, (Picador, 1999.)
Clark, Diplomacy of Conscience, (Princeton U. Press, 2001.)
Schoenberger, Levi=s Children, (Atlantic Monthly Press, 2000.)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Mid Term exam, 25% of final grade.
Final Exam, 35% of final grade.
4 books reviews, 10% each, 40% of final grade.

COURSE FORMAT

Week No. Subject Readings

#1, 1/14 Introduction Text, chp. 1

#2, 1/21 Setting Standards Text, chp. 2; Meyer, 1/3
(Guest speaker from China on Thursday)
(Mid-term extra credit for report on Thurs. afternoon lecture)

#3, 1/28 Setting Standards Meyer, 1/3
(No class meeting on Tuesday.)

#4, 2/4 Islam and Human Rights Meyer, 1/3

#5, 2/11 UN Diplomacy Text, chp. 3; Gourevitch, 1/2
(Review of Meyer due Monday, 2/11, noon, Oldf 511)

#6, 2/18 UN Use of Force Gourevitch, 2

#7, 2/25 Internatl. Criminal Justice Text, chp. 4
(Review of Gourevitch due Friday, 3/1, noon, Oldf 511)

#8, 3/4 Tuesday, review session; Thursday, mid-term exam

#9, 3/11 Regional Actors Text, chp. 5

Spring Break

#10, 3/25 State Foreign Policy Text, chp. 6

#11, 4/1 More on foreign policy Clark, 2

#12, 4/8 Rights Advocacy Groups Text, chp. 7; Clark, 2

#13, 4/15 ICRC and UNHCR Levi, 2
(Review of Clark due Monday, 4/15, noon, Oldf 511)

#14, 4/22 TNCs/MNCs Text, chp. 8; Levi, 2

#15, 4/29 Conclusion Text, chp 9
(Review of Schoenberger due Weds., 5/1, noon, Oldf 511)

Final Exam, Wednesday, May 8, 10-12, classroom.

OTHER INFORMATION

A. Reviews
In each review the student should summarize the central argument of the book, then give a critique indicating the strong and weak points and why you believe as you do. For examples of how to do short, analytical reviews go to the American Political Science Review in Love Library and look at the book review section at the end of each issue. There is a section on books in International Relations. You must link the book being reviewed to the textbook and/or class materials, thus making your review synthetic or integrative. Reviews will be graded for spelling, grammar, and style as well as for content. You may use endnotes or footnotes or parenthetical references. Reviews must be word processed and paginated. Each review should be about 4-5 pages double spaced. There is a late penalty of one letter grade during the first week after the deadline, after which a failing mark is assigned. Deadlines for 511 Oldfather Hall are:
Meyer, Monday, Feb. 11, noon;
Gourevitch, Friday, Mar. 1, noon;
Clark, Monday, Apr. 15, noon;
Schoenberger, Weds., May 1, noon.

B. Exams.
Exams must be taken on a laptop or in Blue exam books with dark ink. 5 point penalty for failure to follow instructions. Both the mid term and the final will contain a short answer section (identify and give the significance of). Most of the exams will consist of essay questions. The final exam will be comprehensive (although the short answer section will only come from the second half of the course). Students are responsible for all assigned material on exams, whether covered in class or not. If you do not do the required reading, and do it carefully, you will not do well on the exams. The best procedure is to do the reading when assigned, and then review it before exams.

C. Miscellaneous

There is zero tolerance for any form of cheating or plagiarism, including failure to properly reference the ideas of others.

Makeup exams, incompletes, and withdrawals are given only in accordance with UNL rules, which means basically on the basis of documented illness or documented death in the immediate family.

The instructor's office hours are Tues and Thurs, 10-11am, and by appointment, 506 Oldf, 472-1690, email dforsythe@unl.edu. On the web there is a personal home page, which you can access via the UNL Poly Sci Dept.

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