FYSP 175 - Human Rights and Human Wrongs

Semester Offered: First Semester
Credits (Range): 4 hours
Attribute: 4SS, WR
The religious (or moral) framework of human rights is based on a belief in the sacredness (or inviolability) of the human being. Yet history has shown just how precarious that status can be. The concept of the “rights-bearing individual” emerged in 17th century Europe along with trans-Atlantic slavery and the denial of the humanity of the vast majority of the world’s colonized people. In this seminar, we will examine the historically contextualized notion of human rights as we explore the surprisingly tenuous concept of who is “human” and what are “rights.”
Enrollment Limit: 14
Instructor: S. Volk
Consent of the Instructor Required? Yes