PSc2367: Human Rights
Professor Michelle AllendoerferOffice Hours: Tu/Thur 11:15am-12:15pm
Office: ACAD 206A
/ Tu/Thur 1:00 - 2:15 PM
Academic Building 100
In this course, we will explore the international human rights regime. What are human rights? What is the international human rights regime? Why do states commit to human rights treaties? Do they comply? How are human rights norms enforced? How effective is the international human rights regime?
More specifically, the learning objectives for this course are:
- Students will be able to critique and/or justify international efforts to protect human rights (i.e. “What can/should the international community do to protect human rights? Why don’t certain international actors do more?”). To do this, students will be able to provide examples of international efforts to protect human rights, summarize relevant theories to explain international human rights behavior (including: why governments repress, treaty ratification, treaty compliance, and human rights foreign policy), and, ultimately, derive hypotheses about international human rights behavior.
- Students will be able to make a case for/against the international protection of human rights (i.e. “Why do we care about human rights?”). To do this, students will be able to identify and summarize some of the major philosophical origins of human rights, explain the differences between types of rights (including the distinction between positive and negative rights), and (briefly) describe the historical trajectory of human rights protection and development in international relations.
To meet these learning objectives, you will need to complete all readings before class, come to class ready to be engaged in discussions and activities, and use the assignments as an opportunity to both demonstrate your mastery of the material and to improve your understanding.
Readings:
Required Text: Donnelly 2013. International Human Rights.4th ed. Available at the bookstore.
Recommended Text: Risse, Ropp, & Sikkink (eds.). 1999. The Power of Human Rights: International Norms and Domestic Change.
All other readings will be available on Blackboard (BB).
Class Policies
Special accommodations: Please see me or email me in the first two weeks of class if you require any special accommodations due to learning disabilities, religious practices, physical or medical needs, athletic commitments, or for any other reason.
Academic integrity: I do not tolerate any academic dishonesty. The university’s Academic Integrity code can be found at: http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html. Students found in violation of the academic integrity code on any assignment will fail the course, not just the assignment. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating on exams, plagiarizing, forging or fabricating documents, or facilitating academic dishonesty. Ignorance is not an excuse. Please consult with me if you are in doubt about what constitutes academic dishonesty.
Late Assignments: I do not accept late assignments and do not offer make-up tests. Exceptions will be made only in extremely serious circumstances, and will require documentation of the emergency from a person of authority.
Attendance: You are responsible for any missed work resulting from absences. I do not provide make-up quizzes. Make-up exams are only given in extremely serious circumstances, and will require documentation of the emergency from a person of authority. Further, I will take attendance on 3 unannounced days; if you are present in class, you will earn an extra ½ point towards your final grade. Tardiness is a distraction to your classmates; habitual tardiness will negatively affect your grade.
Communication: Email is the best way to reach me; I typically respond within 24-hours during the week. If you don’t hear back within 24-hours, you should re-send your email. I use email frequently to communicate reminders, announcements, and changes to class. My office hours are posted at the top of the syllabus, if those do not work for you I am happy to make appointments at other times. I encourage you to come to office hours early and often to ask clarification questions, discuss your research paper, or just to chat.
Technology: To facilitate discussion and minimize distractions, the use of technology in class (including, but not limited to: laptops, smartphones, tablets) is prohibited unless otherwise noted. I will send an email or make an announcement in class in advance of class sessions when laptops, etc. will be needed for group work/activities. Most of these dates are already noted in the syllabus.
Topic and Reading Schedule:
Tuesday, Jan 15: Intro to Course (no reading)
Thursday, Jan 17: Philosophical Origins of Human Rights
Shestack, Jerome J. 1998 “The Philosophic Foundation of Human Rights.” Human Rights Quarterly 20(2): 2.
Background: Donnelly Chapters 1-2
Tuesday, Jan 22: Types of Human Rights
UN Declaration of Human Rights (link on BB)
Beetham, David. 1995. “What Future for Economic and Social Rights?” Political Studies 43 (SI): 41-60.
Donnelly, Jack. 1985 “Postscript: The Problem of Lists” in The Concept of Human Rights. Pp 89-97. (NOTE: Not in textbook; on BB)
Thursday, Jan 24: Universality of Human Rights
Donnelly ch 3
Ignatieff, Michael. 2001. “The Attack on Human Rights.” Foreign Affairs 80: 102-116.
Franck, TM. 2001. “Are Human Rights Universal.” Foreign Affairs 80(1): 191-204.
Tuesday, Jan 29: Class Presentations on Types of Rights
ICCPR: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm
ICESCR: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cescr.htm
LGBT rights: http://www.yogyakartaprinciples.org/principles_en.htm
Thursday, Jan 31: Measuring Human Rights.
Various authors. 2007. “Measuring Human Rights” Chapter 2 of Exploring International Human Rights: Essential Readings, eds. Rhonda Callaway & Julie Harrelson-Stephens. (on BB)
** Please bring laptops ***
Tuesday, Feb 5: Why do governments repress? Or not?
Fein, Helen. 1995. “More Murder in the Middle: Life-Integrity Violations and Democracy in the World, 1987.” Human Rights Quarterly 17(1): 170-191.
* OPTIONAL: Poe, Steve C. et al. 1999. “Repression of Human Right to Personal Integrity Revisited: A Global Cross National Study Covering the Years 1976-1993.” ISQ 43: 291-313.
* OPTIONAL: Carey, Gibney, and Poe. 2010. “Chapter 4: Where are human rights violated?” in The Politics of Human Rights: The Quest for Dignity.
Thursday, Feb 7: Overview of the international human rights regime - The United Nations
Donnelly ch 5
Buergenthal, Thomas. 1997. “The Normative and Institutional Evolution of International Human Rights.” Human Rights Quarterly 19(4): 703-723.
Donnelly, Jack. 1986. “International Human Rights: A Regime Analysis.” International Organization 40(3): 599-642.
Tuesday, Feb 12: Regional systems: Case of the ECHR
“The ECHR in 50 Questions”
“50 Years of Activity: The European Court of Human Rights Some Facts and Figures” (skim)
* OPTIONAL: Mantouvalou, Virginia. 2010. “Modern Slavery: The UK Response.” Industrial Law Journal 39.
Thursday, Feb 14: Why do states commit to HR treaties?
Simmons, Beth. 2009. “Theories of Commitment” in Mobilizing for Human Rights.
* ROUNDTABLE (Reading presentations variation: presenters will serve as a panel to discuss the arguments and findings in each of the following pieces; select one on which to become an “expert”):
Goodliffe, Jay and Darren G. Hawkins. 2006. “Explaining Commitment: States and the Convention Against Torture.” Journal of Politics 68(2): 358-371.
Vreeland, James R. 2008. “Political Institutions and Human Rights: Why Dictatorships Enter into the United Nations Convention Against Torture.” IO 62: 65-101.
Hafner-Burton et al. 2008. “International Human Rights Law and the Politics of Legitimation: Repressive States and Human Rights Treaties.” International Sociology 23(1):115-141.
Tuesday Feb 19 - GPS simulation
** Please bring laptops ***
Thursday, Feb 21 - GPS simulation
** Please bring laptops ***
Tuesday, Feb 26: Compliance with international human rights treaties
Hathaway, Oona. 2002. “Do Human Rights Treaties Make a Difference?” The Yale Law Journal 111(8): 1935-2042.
Thursday, Feb 28: Effectiveness of International Law
Goldsmith and Posner. 2005. “Chapter 4: Human Rights.” In The Limits of International Law.
* OPTIONAL: Neumayer, Eric. 2005. “Do International Human Rights Treaties Improve Respect for Human Rights?” Journal of Conflict Resolution 49(6): 925-953.
Tuesday, March 5: Getting States to do Better: Mechanisms of Influence
Goodman, Ryan and Derek Jinks. 2004. “How to Influence States: Socialization and International Human Rights Law.” Duke Law Journal 54(3): 621-703.
*OPTIONAL: Lebovic, James and Erik Voeten. 2006. “The Politics of Shame: The Condemnation of Country Human Rights Practices in the UNCHR.” International Studies Quarterly 50: 861-888.
Thursday, March 7: Test 1
March 11- March 15: No class (Spring Break)
Tuesday, March 19: Transnational Actors (Cases: Chile and Guatemala)
Risse & Sikkink. 1999 “Chapter 1: The socialization of international human rights norms into domestic practices.” In The Power of Human Rights.
* ROUNDTABLE Discussion (reading presentations): Case chapters from The Power of Human Rights (For reading presentations: select a case chapter from the Power of Human Rights book. Instead of a traditional reading presentation, presenters on this day will serve as a panel, discussing how the chapters provide evidence for the theory presented in Chapter 1, which everyone will read).
Thursday, March 21: Human Rights in Foreign policy (comparative)
Donnelly ch. 6
Sikkink, Kathyrn. 1993. “The Power of Principled Ideas: Human Rights Policies in the United States and Western Europe” in Ideas and Foreign Policy: Beliefs, Institutions, and Political Change.
Tuesday, March 26: Foreign Policy (US)
Forsythe, David P. 1990. “Human Rights in U.S. Foreign Policy: Retrospect and Prospect.” Political Science Quarterly 105(3): 435-454.
Kennan, George F. 1985. “Morality and Foreign Policy.” Foreign Affairs 205-218.
WRITING WORKSHOP: BRING DRAFT OF PAPER TO CLASS
Thursday, March 28: Tribunals (Case: Yugoslavia)
Rudolph, Christopher. 2001. “Constructing an Atrocities Regime: The Politics of War Crimes Tribunals.” International Organization 55(3): 655-691.
Scharf, Michael and Valerie Epps. 1996. “The International Trial of the Century? A ‘Cross Fire’ Exchange on the First Case Before the Yugoslavia War Crimes Tribunal.” Cornell International Law Journal 29:635
Tuesday, April 2: ICC (Case: Sudan)
Tucker, Robert. 2001. “The International Criminal Court Controversy.” World Policy Journal 18: 71-81.
* OPTIONAL “Charges Against Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir: Accusing a President of Genocide.” Spiegel International 15 July 2008. (link on BB) AND “ICC vs. Sudan: The Complexities Behind the al-Bashir Case” Spiegel International 5 March 2009 (link on BB)
** Please bring laptops ***
Thursday, April 4: NO CLASS
Watch Hotel Rwanda (available streaming on BB)
Tuesday, April 9: Humanitarian Intervention (Case: Kosovo)
Readings: Donnelly ch 8
Henkin, Louis. 1999. “Kosovo and the Law of ‘Humanitarian Intervention.’” American Journal of International Law 93(4): 824-828.
Nardin, Terry. 2001. “The Moral Basis of Humanitarian Intervention.” Ethics and International Affairs 16(1): 57-70.
Thursday, April 11: Humanitarian Intervention (Cases: Rwanda & Libya)
UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (link on BB)
Power, Samantha. 2002. “Rwanda: Mostly in a Listening Mode.” in A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide. New York: Basic Books, pp 329-389.
*OPTIONAL: Kuperman, Alan. 2000. Rwanda in Retrospect. Foreign Affairs 79 (1):94-118.
Tuesday, April 16: United States Human Rights and Foreign Policy, Post 9/11
Donnelly ch. 10
Bellamy, Alex. 2006. “No Pain, No Gain? Torture and Ethics in the War on Terror.” International Affairs 82(1): 411-425.
Thursday, April 18: Presentations (Day 1)
Tuesday, April 23: Presentations (Day 2)
Thursday, April 25: Poster Session
Final exam: TBD
Assignments & Grading:
You will have some choices about the assignments you complete for your grade. Certain components, as noted, are required. Carefully read this section of the syllabus and be sure to ask questions if anything is unclear. You are ultimately responsible for completing your assignments on time and choosing the right mix of assignments to meet the requirements for the course.
Course plan (required) - due Tuesday, January 22 in class (attached). Failure to submit this course plan on time will result in a 1-point deduction from your final grade.
10% Readiness Assessment Tests (required): Occasionally, we will begin class with a reading quiz. You will first take this short multiple-choice quiz individually, then in a group. Your grade for each quiz will be the average of the individual and group scores. There will be approximately 10 quizzes, with the lowest score dropped.
15% tests (required): There will be two tests, on the dates designated in the syllabus. These tests will be a mix of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. They are designed to assess a broad range of understanding of the material covered. You can choose to take both or only one. If you take one, that test will be worth 15% of your grade; if you take both, your score will be the average of the two tests. If you take a test, it will be counted (i.e. you cannot drop a low test score). After the test, there will be an opportunity to earn partial credit for incorrect answers. Once the tests have been returned, you can choose to submit a correction; you can earn up to ½ credit per answer that you correct and explain (how much, if any, credit you earn will depend on how well you use notes, readings, etc to support your explanation in addition to identifying the correct answer). You will have one week from the day tests are returned to submit a correction.
20% Global Problems Summit (required): Over two class periods, you will participate in a Global Problems Summit tasked with a human rights-related prompt (details to follow in class). The grade will be based on: your participation during the summit as well as your preparation for the summit (including writing a short position paper before the start of the summit). The simulation is designed to give you an opportunity to understand an aspect of international human rights from the perspective of various countries; to identify the challenges these countries face in negotiations; and to solve problems as a class.
30% Research Paper (required): The objective of the research paper is to deeply engage with a human rights topic of interest to you. You will be able to pick the style of the paper (see below), as well as the topic.
- You are required to submit a research proposal that includes your research question (and cases, if necessary) and an annotated bibliography that includes at least 3 scholarly sources (i.e. academic press books or peer-reviewed journal articles; if you do not know what qualifies as a scholarly source, please ask!). Failure to submit a research proposal will result in a 1/3 letter grade deduction in your final paper grade (i.e. B+ à B). There is no “set” due-date for your paper proposal; you are responsible for selecting a due date that fits with your own schedule but that allows you time to receive and process the feedback. In other words, earlier is better! Once you select and commit to a due date, it is your responsibility to adhere to that due date.