Course Catalog

2 Unit(s)

This course provides an introduction to some of the most challenging human rights issues in different countries and the crucial role of democracy in protecting human rights. Throughout the semester, we will examine challenges to the enjoyment of traditional civil and political rights, along with economic and social rights in the United States, Hong Kong, India, and Tunisia that are depicted via the cinematic medium. The substantive human rights content of the film will be analyzed through a combination of lecture, textbook reading, PowerPoint, and group discussion. Topics include the history of human rights regime, human rights laws and mechanisms, categories of human rights, and State responsibilities to protect human rights. Students will be asked to critically examine the factual information depicted in each movie, conduct individual research about each country, and identify specific human rights violations that are right-based. They will continue to apply human rights laws and mechanisms in their legal analysis for each human rights violation.