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Academic Year 2003/2004

Human Rights Across Cultures
PHIL 270 FA
Crosslistings:
EAST 270

Are human rights universal? Do cultural differences matter to judgements about human rights? This course will seek answers to such questions in two stages. First we will explore the histories of various human rights discourses, focusing primarily on Europe, the United States, and China. Then we will examine different contemporary reactions to the possibility of plural conceptions of human rights. We will look primarily at philosophical materials, but will also pay some attention to the premises of international legal documents like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to the assumptions behind activist organizations like Amnesty International.

MAJOR READINGS

Readings will come from a range of primary sources (in translation, where necessary) and contemporary secondary works. Some examples include:
Hunt, ed., THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Angle and Svensson, eds., THE CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS READER
Shue and Hurley, eds., ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Glendon, A WORLD MADE NEW

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Three seven-page papers and several short writing assignments.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

The prerequisite for this course is any previous philosophy course at Wesleyan. Students who have taken a philosophy course other than the six listed above can request that the instructor sign a prerequisite override form.

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS PHIL    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: Any Philosophy Course Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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