REL 222: Seminar: Religious Ethics and Human Rights
AmherstCollege – Fall 2011
Instructor: Brian Sorrells, Lecturer in Ethics, YaleUniversity
Email:
Phone: 203-697-2490 (home)
Office: Chapin 209
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11:30-12:30; 4:30-5:30; and by appointment.
Class Schedule: Tuesdays 2:00-4:30
Classroom Location: Chapin 119
Description:
This seminar examines a range of the most influential criticisms of human rights; assesses several proposed theories of human rights; surveys the approach of several religious traditions to justifying human rights; and considers a range of issues within contemporary debates, such as women's human rights, religious violence and terrorism, religious freedom, and the role of religion in politics and public law.
Requirements and Grading:
-Careful reading of assigned texts and preparation for discussion
-Regular attendance and active participation in discussion
-Weekly short reflection papers (~1 page) that include two discussion questions
-Two 2-3 page presentations of 5 discussion questions to begin class discussion.
-Seminar paper (15-20 pages). Students should submit a preliminary thesis and outline with bibliography no later than 3 weeks prior to the due date.
-Grading:
-Attendance and participation in discussion: 10%
-Short presentations (2): 20%
-Weekly short papers: 20%
-Seminar paper: 50%
-Academic Integrity: Students should acknowledge in footnotes or endnotes all help from other persons and all sources of quotations, ideas, and lines of argument.
-Late Assignments: Without prior approval, grades for missed presentations or late papers will be reduced by one half letter grade per day.
Class Procedures:
-Course format: Seminar
-Instructor Comments and Discussion: The instructor will comment briefly on the material to open seminar discussion. Then one or two students will make short presentations of 5 thoughtful, well-developed questions for class discussion (20 minute limit per presentation). If two students are presenting questions on a given day, they should communicate and divide the material or otherwise coordinate their presentations.
Textbooks:
-Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. 2nd Edition
- Michelene Ishay, The History of Human Rights, 2nd Edition
-Milton Konvitz, ed., Judaism and Human Rights 2nd Expanded Edition.
-Ann Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics. 4th Edition.
-Martha Nussbaum, Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach
-Susan Moller Okin, et. al, eds., Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?
-Joseph Runzo, Nancy Martin, and Arvind Sharma, eds., Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions
- Jessica Stern, Terror in the Name of God, Why Religious Militants Kill
Additional Readings:
Selected journal articles and book chapters will be available via electronic reserves, photocopy, or a course packet. Please check the class website for this course.
SCHEDULE:
SEPT 6: Introduction and Organization:
Orienting the Seminar: Topics, Questions, Approaches, Requirements, Pedagogical Practices.
-Ethics; Religious Ethics; Rights; Human Rights
-Brenda Almond, “Rights,” in Peter Singer, (ed.), A Companion to Ethics. (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1991).
Part I: Human Rights: History, Contemporary Tradition, and Current Debates
SEPT. 13: DAY MISSED DUE TO FAMILY ILLNESS
SEPT 20:
- Human Rights: Central Documents, Origins, History, and Development
–The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948) See web links or go to United Nations website:
–The International Covenant on Social, Economic, and Cultural Rights (1966) See web links or go to United Nations website:
–The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) See web links or go to United Nations website:
–Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World’s Religions:
–Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, 2nd Ed.: Introduction, Chapters 1 and 2
–Michelene Ishay, History of Human Rights, Introduction and Chapter 4.
SEPT. 27: Presenter: Adrianna
- The History of Human Rights in the West:
Michelene Ishay, History of Human Rights, Ch. 2 and 3.
OCT. 4: Presenter: Kai
- Criticisms of Human Rights: Conceptual and Ethical Objections
–Ann Mayer, Islam and Human Rights, 4th edition: pp. 1-11; 57-67.
–Aladair MacIntyre, After Virtue. 2nd edition: pp. 61-71.
–Stanley Hauerwas,Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer in Christian Ethics: pp. 59-64.
–Joan Lockwood O’Donovan, “The Concept of Rights in Christian Moral Discourse,” and Robert George, “A Response,” in Michael Cromartie, (ed.) A Preserving Grace: Protestants, Catholics, and Natural Law: pp. 143-161
–Max Stackhouse, “The Intellectual Crisis of a Good Idea,” Journal of Religious Ethics 26.2 (Fall 1998): 263-268.
–Mary Ann Glendon, Rights Talk: The Impoverishment of Political Discourse: pp. 1-11.
–Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, 2nd edition: Ch. 6
–Brian Tierney, “Introduction,” and “Conclusion,” in The Idea of Natural Rights: Studies on Natural Rights, Natural Law, and Church Law, 1150—1625: pp. 1-9; 343-348.
OCT. 11: Mid Semester Break
Part II. Theories of Human Rights:
OCT 18: Presenter: Grant
- I. Tradition, Utility, Intuition:
–Tradition:
–REVIEW: “A Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World’s Religions,” in Runzo, Martin, and Sharma (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World’s Religions, pp. 141-47 (course textbook.) (6 pages)
–REVIEW: Stackhouse, “Intellectual Crisis of a Good Idea.” (Above under critics)
–John Langan, “Contrasting and Uniting Theology and Human Rights,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 26.2 (Spring 1998): 49-54. (Available on class website under resources) (5 pages)
–Arvind Sharma, “The Religious Perspective: Dignity as a Foundation for Human Rights Discourse,” in Runzo, Martin, and Sharma (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World’s Religions, pp. 67-76 (course textbook.) (9 pages)
–Utility:
–Martha Nussbaum, “Defects of Standard Economic Approaches,” in Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach, pp. 59-70. (course textbook) (11 pages)
–Intuition:
–David Little, “The Nature and Basis of Human Rights,” in Gene Outka and John P. Reeder, Jr., (eds.) Prospects for a Common Morality., pp. 73-92. (Available on class website under resources). (19 pages)
OCT. 25: Presenter: Grant
- II. Social Contract, Pragmatic Agreement, Overlapping Consensus:
–Will Kymlicka, “The Social Contract Tradition,” in Peter Singer (ed.), A Companion to Ethics, pp. 186-197.
–John Rawls, “The Law of Peoples,” in Stephen Shute and Susan Hurley (eds.), On Human Rights: The Oxford Amnesty Lectures (Basic Books, 1993), pp. 41-82.
–Charles Taylor, “Conditions of an Unforced Consensus on Human Rights,” in Bauer and Bell (eds.) The East Asian Challenge for Human Rights. (Cambridge, 1999), pp. 124-144.
NOV. 1: Presenter: Nick
- III. Natural Law; Human Agency and Capabilities; Shared Reasons
–Robert George, “Natural Law Ethics,” in Philip Quinn and Charles Taliaferro (eds.), A Companion to Philosophy of Religion (Blackwell, 1999), pp. 460-465.
–Alan Gewirth, “Action and Human Rights,” in Gewirth, Community of Rights, pp. 8-26.
–Martha Nussbaum, Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach (Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2000), 34-59; and 70-105.
–John P. Reeder, Jr., “Foundations without Foundationalism,” in Gene Outka and John P. Reeder, Jr., (eds.) Prospects for a Common Morality. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992), pp. 191-214.
–Sumner Twiss, “History, Human Rights and Globalization,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 32.1 (Spring 2004): PLEASE NOTE: The full text contains very important material, but for our purposes this week, focus especially on Section 1 (Intro. and Background, pp. 39-41) and Section 3 (Changes in Human Rights Justification, pp. 56-65).
Part III. Religious Traditions and Human Rights:
NOV 8: Presenter: Kai
- Judaism and Human Rights
–Charlotte Elisheva Fonrobert, “A Universal Declaration on Human Rights by the World’s Religions: A Jewish Perspective,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 149-58. E-reserve.
–Elliot Dorff, “A Jewish Perspective on Human Rights,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 209-232. E-Reserve.
–Milton R. Konvitz, (ed.), Judaism and Human Rights. Second Edition. (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers/Rutgers University, 2001), Part I: Selections by Konvitz, Rackman, Irwin; Part III: Selections by Konvitz,and Finklestein; Part IV: Selection by Mendelssohn.
–NOV. 15: Presenters: Alicen and Adrianna
- Christianity and Human Rights
–Protestant / Reformed statement - Jurgen Moltmann, “A Christian Declaration on Human Rights,” World Alliance of Reformed Churches. (Also in Jurgen Moltmann, On Human Dignity: Political Theology and Ethics. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.) Available via class website under “Links.”
–Roman Catholic Encyclical – PACEM IN TERRIS, Pope John XXIII, April 1963. Class website under “Links.”
–Phillip Quinn, “Christian Ethics and Human Rights,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 233-246. E-reserve.
–Nicholas Wolterstorff, Justice: Rights and Wrongs, Ch. 16, “A Theistic Grounding of Human Rights,” pp. 342-361. E-Reserve or handout.
THANKSGIVING BREAK
NOV. 29: Presenters: Julia and Alicen
- Islam and Human Rights:
–Jack Donnelly, “Islam and Human Rights,” in Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, pp. 72-76. (4 pages – textbook)
–Ann E. Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics, Ch. 2, 3, 4, 7
–Khaled Abou El Fadl, “The Human Rights Commitment in Modern Islam,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 301-364. E-Reserve.
Part IV: Special Topics:
DEC 6 – Session 1: Presenters Nick and Julia
- Religion in Politics and Law:
–Robert Audi, “The State, the Church, and the Citizen” , in Paul Weithman (ed.), Religion and Contemporary Liberalism (Notre Dame, 1997). E-reserve.
–Nicholas Wolterstorff, “Why We Should Reject What Liberalism Tells Us About Speaking and Acting in Public for Religious Reasons” E-Resource, in in Paul Weithman (ed.), Religion and Contemporary Liberalism (Notre Dame, 1997). E-reserve.
–Nicholas Wolterstorff, “An Engagement with Rorty,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 31.1 (2003): 129-139. Journal of Religious Ethics. E-Reserve.
–Richard Rorty, “Religion in the Public Square: A Reconsideration,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 31.1 (2003). E-Reserve.
–
–Recommended / Not Assigned:
–Mark Cladis, “Painting Landscapes of Religion in America: Four Models of Religion in Democracy, in Journal of the AmericanAcademy of Religion, 76.4 (2008): 874-904.
–Jeffrey Stout, “The Folly of Secularism,” Journal of the AmericanAcademy of Religion.
–Jeffrey Stout, “Religious Reasons in Political Argument,”in Terence Cuneo (ed.), Religion in the Liberal Polity (Notre Dame, 2005).
DEC. 6 – Session 2 (Make up): Presenters: Beth and Sarah
- Religious Violence and Terrorism:
–Jessica Stern, Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill. Read: Part I in full; Ch. 10, “Conclusion/Policy Recommendations.”
–Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence. Read: Prefaces, Introduction; Chapter 8, “Cosmic War.” Available as an e-book via Amherst Library. E-Reserve.
DEC. 13: Presenters: Beth and Sarah
- Women and Human Rights
–Ann E. Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics, Ch. 6
–Susan Moller Okin, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? Susan Moller Oki with Respondents. Edited by Joshua Cohen, Matthew Howard, and Martha Nussbaum. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999).Read: Introduction; Part I in full; and Responses by Kymlicka, al-Hibri, and Nussbaum, and others if you choose / according to your own choice.
–Martha Nussbaum, “Religion and Women’s Human Rights,” in Paul J. Weithman (ed.), Religion and Contemporary Liberalism. (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1997), pp. 93-121 only. E-reserve.
DEC. 20: FINAL PAPERS DUE: