Human Rights
F06
Mansour Farhang
This course is designed to study the origins and the evolution of the idea of human rights and to probe the development of the international human rights movement since World War II. Following a general examination of the concept and the expansion of individual rights, the course focuses on the history, theory, practice, and possibilities of universal human rights standards. Topics include the issue of rights in both Western and non-Western traditions; internationalization of human rights; the question of cultural relativism; national sovereignty and international accountability; the work of both intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations; human rights in the foreign policy arena; the agenda of international human rights institutions; and the challenges facing international protection of human rights.