First Year Seminar: Human Rights

(IDPT 101-16)

Fall Semester, 2002
Class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 10:50 in Kauke 127

Professor Matthew Krain
Department of Political Science
Office: Kauke 212; x2469
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed. 3-4, Tue. & Thr. 1-2, and by appointment
mkrain@wooster.edu

Christy Shadle
Teaching Assistant
Office: Kauke 221 (x5731)
cshadle@wooster.edu
Office Hours: Tue. 8-10pm, and by appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This seminar explores one of the most important issues of our time human rights. We will examine issues of the rights of individuals and groups around the world, in the United States, and here in Wooster, Ohio. We will, of course, examine the legal, political, and social aspects of the topic. However, in order to gain a deeper understanding of why human rights are violated, and the effects of these violations on the victims, we will also examine literature, biographies, art and film. The main purpose of this course, however, is to develop necessary skills that will be required of you throughout your college career and beyond. As we examine human rights issues we will also sharpen our writing and speaking skills, develop our analytical abilities, and begin to engage in academic discourse.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Students are expected to attend class and participate regularly in class discussions. Students are also required to complete all writing assignments. Finally, students are expected to conduct themselves in a thoroughly professional manner. The grades for course assignments will be assigned as follows:

Writing Assignments #2 #5 40% (10% each) Assignment #6 (Research Paper, Presentation) 25% (15% paper, 10% presentation) Writing Portfolio (Rewrites, Assignment #1, etc) 10% (*) Participation and Professionalism 25%

(*) NOTE: Professionalism refers to factors such as attendance, promptness, courtesy, overall improvement, and other intangibles, to he evaluated and assigned at the discretion of the instructor.

READINGS
We will be using a variety of books, articles, video, music, and other "texts" in this class. Required books are available for purchase at the college's Florence O. Wilson Bookstore, located in Lowry Center. Of course, you are free to purchase them elsewhere, but be sure to get the correct editions. They are:

Mumia Abu-Jamal. Live From Death Row. (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1995). Paperback; ISBN: 0380727668
Ariel Dorfman. Death and the Maiden. (New York, NY: Penguin Books, 1994). Paperback Reprint Edition. ISBN: 0140246843
Philip Gourevitch. We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families; stories from Rwanda. (New York, NY: Farrar Straus and Giroux, 1998). Paperback; ISBN: 0312243359
Diana Hacker. Rules For Writers. 4th Ed. (New York, NY: Bedford Books, 1999). Spiral Bound Paperback; ISBN: 0312241429
Elie Weisel. Night. (New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1960 [1982]). Paperback; ISBN: 0553272535

You should also receive the following books/pamphlets as part of your orientation package:

Art Spiegelman. Maus: A Survivor's Tale - Part I: My Father Bleeds History. (New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1992). Paperback; ISBN: 0394747232.
The College of Wooster. Handbook of Selected College Policies, 2002-2003.
The College of Wooster. The Scot's Key, 2002-2003.

You will be required to read them thoroughly and to bring the latter two pamphlets with you for out first regular class session, August 27th. Any supplementary readings will be placed on reserve in the main library, and/or will be available on the World-Wide-Web, on our class web page: http://www.wooster.edu/polisci/mkrain/fys02.html.

(To Access Readings on Electronic Reserve, Click here: http://eres.library.denison.edu/coursepage.asp?cid=669&page=01)

ALL READINGS MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE CLASS SESSION FOR WHICH THEY ARE ASSIGNED. They will be necessary background for our in-class discussions.

Finally, given the nature of the topic, it would not be a bad idea to keep up with news around the world. I suggest getting your news from two or more of the following sources:

1. major national or international newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, The Financial Times, or The Wall Street Journal
2. major news websites such as the above papersš sites, MSNBC-Online, or CNN-Online. I have put together a web site with a large number of national and international on-line news sources, located at: http://www.wooster.edu/polisci/mkrain/news.html
3. major news magazines such as The Economist, Time, Newsweek, or US News & World Report
4. major public news outlets with comprehensive news coverage such as NPRšs National Public Radio News (89.1 on the radio) or PBSšs The News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

CLASS PARTICIPATION
Throughout the seminar we will debate some of the most controversial human rights topics of the day, from whether the international community has the right to intervene in the affairs of another country, to whether the death penalty is a human rights abuse or a necessary evil. Students should expect vigorous discussion and debate!

As stated earlier, students are expected to attend class and participate regularly in class discussions. Your input and feedback is essential to the smooth and efficient running of the class. To enable interesting and effective discussion, be sure to have read the materials pertaining to that dayšs discussion BEFORE that class period! Quality and quantity of class participation will be monitored closely by the instructor and teaching assistant, and is worth 25% of the overall course grade.

Please note that Professionalism is also a component of this part of your grade. My hope is that the classroom will contain an open and comfortable atmosphere in which all ideas and opinions will be welcomed and addressed.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND THE WRITING PORTFOLIO
One of the main goals of First Year Seminar is to provide students with the opportunity to improve their writing skills, presentation skills, and critical thinking abilities. To that end, over the course of this semester you will write and rewrite five short papers, focusing on writing style and abilities and on argumentation. These will serve as precursors to the larger final assignment, a research paper and in-class presentation. As each assignment approaches I will present the class with detailed instructions. In the meantime, here is a brief description of each paper (with due dates in parentheses):

Assignment #1 (due in class September 3rd): We will spend part of one class session participating in a group exercise in which we will try to develop a universal declaration of human rights. Following this exercise, you will be expected to compose a short (1-2 page) paper on one of the two following options: (1) Pick one "right": Why do you think that this particular right is of paramount importance? (2) Why was it so hard to come to a consensus regarding a Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Assignment #2 (due September 10th) Argument Paper: Universal vs. Relative Rights: Each student will compose a well-crafted but brief (1-2 page) argument on the question of whether human rights are universal or culturally relative.
Assignment #3 (due September 17th) Argument Paper: Security vs. Human Rights in the Aftermath of September 11th: Each student will compose a well-crafted but brief (2-3 pages) argument on the question of how to balance concerns for security and concerns for human rights in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.
Assignment #4 (due October 31st) Letter to the Editor: Each student will compose a well-crafted but brief (250 words or less) letter to the editor on the issue of capital punishment. Students may write about the degree of necessity or utility of capital punishment, whether the death penalty is racially or otherwise biased, or whether the death penalty is in and of itself a human rights abuse. After a rewrite, students are expected to submit their letters to a previously approved periodical, on-line newsgroup, or other appropriate public forum.
Assignment #5 (due November 12th) Lesson Plan (and Rationale): Teaching About Human Rights: Students will be grouped together and will be asked to develop a unique and effective active learning strategy for teaching about human rights. Each group will then be responsible for writing up a detailed lesson plan, complete with rationale for how and why the activity will achieve the desired pedagogical goal. Groups will then present their ideas to the class as a whole, which will discuss and critique each lesson plan.
Assignment #6 (due on date of in-class presentation [Oct. 31st - Dec. 3rd]) Research Paper & Presentation: Early on in the semester each student will choose a country of interest, and a date on which to present their research about that country's human rights record to the class. Students will then write a short (approximately 8-10 pages) research paper on a particular human rights issue in that country. Each student will present their findings at the start of class on their appointed day. Presentations will be graded as a component of the research paper.

In addition, we will, from time to time engage in in-class writing exercises. These in-class writing exercises, along with Assignments 1 through 5 (original and rewrites) should be archived carefully by the student as part of their semester's WRITING PORTFOLIO. On November 26th (the class just before Thanksgiving Break), you will submit your writing portfolio. It will be graded on three criteria:

amount of effort put into revision of assignments
quality of effort put into revision of assignments
overall improvement of the student's writing throughout the semester

REQUIRED EVENT: WOOSTER FORUM
The Wooster Forum is a college-sponsored series of events designed to raise awareness of a variety of key issues. You are, of course, encouraged to attend all events in the series, but are only required to attend the talk by Art Spiegelman (7:30-9:30pm, September 5th, in McGaw).

NOTES
Note #1: Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date. Any missed assignment or unexcused exam absence is subject to an automatic failing grade for the course (in other words, you cannot pass the class unless you do all of the work!). Late written assignments will be graded down up to one full letter grade for each day late. A paper handed in after class is considered a full day late. If you anticipate missing a deadline, consult with the instructor as soon as possible.

Note #2: Students are encouraged to study together and assist one another in learning the material. It is assumed that you have done your own work. In short, donšt cheat and donšt PLAGARIZE. Students are reminded that they are obliged to understand, to uphold, and to comply with the Code of Academic Integrity at the College of Wooster. If you have doubts about whether something violates academic integrity, check the Code of Academic Integrity, located in the Scotšs Key, or the following web page: http://www.wooster.edu/deanofstd/policies/coai.html. Students who do not understand the Code after having read it should make an appointment to see me to discuss it; indeed, I welcome this discussion and encourage students to see me in advance of any assignment about which they have doubts or questions. PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY VIOLATION OF THE CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY MEANS THE STUDENT'S IMMEDIATE FAILURE IN THE COURSE, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE SUBSEQUENT ACADEMIC DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

Note #3: It is your responsibility to inform me ahead of time about factors that are likely to interfere with your performance in the class. Measures for students with disabilities, non-native writers of English and other special issues will be taken in compliance with the collegešs policies.

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

Aug. 27th: Introduction to The College of Wooster and to First Year Seminar

The College of Wooster, Handbook of Selected College Policies, 2000-2001.
The College of Wooster. The Scot's Key, 2002-2003 (5-14, 55-59, 65-67).

August 29th: What are Human Rights?
ASSIGNMENT #1: Evaluation Of Human Rights Group Exercise (due September 3rd)

Jack Donnelly. 2001. "What are Human Rights?" U.S. Department of State's Office of International Information Programs. http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/hrintro/donnelly.htm
Harry Krelsler. 2000. "International Law and Human Rights," Interview with Tom Farer, Institute of International Studies, University of California at Berkeley. April 19, 2000. http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Farer/farer-con00-0.html
The United States Constitution's Bill of Rights. http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
Declaration of the Rights of Man. http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/rightsof.htm
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
Summary of UN Agreements on Human Rights. http://www.hrweb.org/legal/undocs.html

Sept. 3 Writing About Human Rights

Diana Hacker. Rules For Writers. "The Writing Process" (1-76).

Sept. 5 Assessing Arguments About Human Rights
ASSIGNMENT #2: Are Human Rights Universal or Culturally Relative? (due Sept. 10th)

Diana Hacker. Rules For Writers. "Argument" (347-364)
RESERVE: Bilahari Kausikan, "A Universal Definition of Human Rights Ignores Cultural Diversity" pp. 21-24 in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints.
RESERVE: Robert Weil, "International Human Rights Standards Neglect Asian Values" pp. 25-32 in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints.
Amartya Sen. 1997. "Human Rights and Asian Values," The New Republic, July 14-July 21, 1997. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/sen.htm
Shashi Tharoor. 2000. "Are Human Rights Universal?" World Policy Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4 http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/tharoor2.htm

9/5 - REQUIRED EVENT: Art Spiegelman, "Comix 101" (McGaw, 7:30-9:30 pm)

Sept. 10 Examining the Holocaust through Two Kinds of Personal Narrative

Elie Weisel. Night.
Art Spiegelman. Maus.

Sept. 12 Human Rights and Terrorism/Counterterrorism
ASSIGNMENT #3: Security vs. Human Rights in the Aftermath of September 11th [due Sept. 17th]

Kofi Annan. 2001. "Secretary-General Repeats Call For Global Response To Terrorism, Urging Moral Struggle Against 'An Evil That Is Anathema To All Faiths" Press Release SG/SM/8013. UN Secretary-General. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2001/sgsm8013.doc.htm
John Sanford. 2001. "Go beyond 'evil' in analyzing terror attacks, Zajonc says," Stanford University News Service. November 11, 2001. http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/01/lookatrace1128.html
"Human Rights In Islam" III&E Brochure Series; No. 7 (published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E). http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/humanrelations/humanrights/
John Parry and Welsh White. 2001. "Interrogating a Suspected Terrorist" http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/terrorism/terrorismparry.htm
Michael Levin. 1982. "The Case for Torture" Newsweek. http://www.coc.cc.ca.us/departments/philosophy/levin.html

Sept. 17 Researching About Human Rights - Part I

Diana Hacker. Rules For Writers. "Research Guide" (365-409; skim 410-448).

Sept. 19 Researching About Human Rights - Part II

Sept. 24 OPTIONAL Advising Session with Christy Shadle on Research Strategies

Sept. 26 Writing Workshop GUEST INSTRUCTOR: Writing Center Consultant

Oct. 1 Economics and Human Rights (I)

RESERVE: Bruce Weiner, "The Use of Child Labor Violates Human Rights" pp. 74-80 in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints.
RESERVE: Shahidul Alam, "The Use of Child Labor Does Not Always Violate Human Rights" pp. 81-87 in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints.
RESERVE: Abigail McCarthy, "Factories Should Be Required to Adhere to Minimum Standards" pp. 127-130 in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints.
RESERVE: Medea Benjamin, "Minimum Factory Standards Will Not Prevent Human Rights Abuses" pp. 131-134 in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints.
Human Rights Watch World Report 2000. Corporations & Human Rights. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k/Issues-03.htm
Kofi Annan. "Foreward" in Agenda for Development. United Nations. http://www.un.org/Docs/SG/forward.htm

Oct. 3 Two Case Histories: Human Rights Issues in Ghana and Thailand
GUEST INSTRUCTORS from the Ambassadors Program

Readings To Be Announced

Oct. 8 Economics and Human Rights (II)

RESERVE: James A. Dorn, "Free Trade Promotes Human Rights in China" (pp. 149-154) [in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints. (San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1998].
RESERVE: Harry Wu, "Free Trade Does Not Promote Human Rights in China" (pp. 155-161) [in Mary E. Williams, ed. Human Rights: Opposing Viewpoints. (San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1998].
RESERVE: David E. Weekman. "Sanctions: The Invisible Hand of Statecraft" pp. 317-327 in 21 Debated Issues In World Politics.
RESERVE: Richard N. Haass. "Sanctioning Madness" pp. 328-337 in 21 Debated Issues In World Politics.
Human Rights Watch. 2002. "Iraq". Human Rights Watch World Report 2001. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/mideast/iraq.html
Human Rights Watch. 2002. "China". Human Rights Watch World Report 2001. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/asia/china.html

Oct. 10 Presentation and Public Speaking
GUEST INSTRUCTOR: Mark Steiner, Department of Communications

* * * Oct. 15th (FALL BREAK): No Class * * *

Oct. 17 Forensic Science as a Tool to Uncover and Understand Atrocities
GUEST INSTRUCTOR: Paul Edmiston, Department of Chemistry

Readings To Be Announced

Oct. 22 Art, Science, Film, & Journalism as Tools to Uncover and Understand Atrocities
VIDEO: Pasa un Angel (in class)

Mark Danner. 1993. "The Truth of El Mozote" The New Yorker. December 6, 1993. http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Danner/1993/truthelmoz01.html

Oct. 24 Is the Death Penalty a Violation of Human Rights? (I)
VIDEO: Dead Man Walking (in class).

Mumia Abu-Jamal, Live from Death Row (3-18, 27-36, 55-57, 76-78, 88-105)
Elizabeth Olson. 1998. "U.N. Report Says U.S. Has 'Racist' Death Penalty," New York Times, April 7, 1998. http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/deathpen.htm

Oct. 29 Is the Death Penalty a Violation of Human Rights? (II)
ASSIGNMENT #4: Letter to the Editor The Death Penalty (due 10/31)

Ernest van den Haag. 1986. "The Ultimate Punishment: A Defense," Harvard Law Review. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/angel/procon/haagarticle.html
Jack Greenberg. 1986. "Against the American System of Capital Punishment," Harvard Law Review. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/angel/procon/greenbergarticle.html
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. 2002:
"Capital Punishment in Ohio" http://www.drc.state.oh.us/public/capital.htm.
"Ohio Executions: 1999-Present" http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/Executed/executed25.htm
"Current Death Row Inmates" http://www.drc.state.oh.us/Public/deathrow.htm

Oct. 31 Are Poor Prison Conditions Human Rights Abuses?
Presentations 1 & 2

Mumia Abu-Jamal, Live from Death Row (19-26, 37-54, 62-70, 73-75, 82-87, 106-111)
Amnesty International. 1999. "Torture and Abuse in Prisons," in Rights for All - Human Rights Violations in the USA. http://www.amnestyusa.org/rightsforall/prison.html
Human Rights Watch. 2002. "Special Issues and Campaigns: Prisons" World Report 2002. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/prisons.html

Nov. 5 Ordinary People as Perpetrators: From Prisons to Genocide
Presentations 3 & 4
VIDEO: Quiet Rage: The Stanford Prison Experiment (in class)

Philip G. Zimbardo. 1999. "The Stanford Prison Experiment" http://www.prisonexp.org/
Philip G. Zimbardo. 1999. "Transforming People into Perpetrators of Evil." http://www.sonoma.edu/users/g/goodman/zimbardo.htm
Harry Krelsler. 1999. "Evil, the Self, and Survival," Interview with Robert Jay Lifton, Institute of International Studies, University of California at Berkeley. November 2, 1999. http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Lifton/lifton-con0.html

Nov. 7 Developing Effective Active Learning Strategies for Teaching Human Rights (I)
ASSIGNMENT #5: Lesson Plan and Rationale: Teaching Human Rights (due Nov. 12th)
Presentations 5 & 6

Amnesty International. 2002. "Lesson Plan: Article 4 - Freedom from Slavery" Human Rights Education Website. http://www.aiusa.org/education/lessonplans/article4.pdf
Nancy Flowers. 1999. "Lesson Plan: Martin Luther King - From Civil Rights to Human Rights" Amnesty International USA Educators Network. http://www.amnesty-volunteer.org/usa/education/mlkactiv.html
Nancy Flowers. 2002. "Lesson Plan: Human Rights In The News: Identifying Human Rights Issues In Daily Life" in Universal Declaration of Human Rights Resource Notebook. Amnesty International. http://www.amnesty-volunteer.org/usa/education/hrnews.html
Amnesty International. 2002. "Lesson Plan: What Does a Child Need?" in Children's Rights Resource Notebook. http://www.amnesty-volunteer.org/usa/education/what.html

Nov. 12 Developing Effective Active Learning Strategies for Teaching Human Rights (II)
Group Presentations of Lesson Plans (and Critiques)

Philip Gourevitch. We wish to inform you... (pp. 5-144)

Nov. 14 Never Again? Rwanda: 1994 and Beyond
Presentations 7 & 8

Philip Gourevitch. We wish to inform you... (pp. 147-274)
Harry Krelsler. 2000. "Reporting the Story of a Genocide," Interview with Philip Gourevitch, Institute of International Studies, University of California at Berkeley. February 11, 2000. http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Gourevitch/gourevitch-con0.html

Nov. 19 Are Bystanders as Responsible as Perpetrators?
VIDEO: The Triumph of Evil (in class)

Samantha Power. 2001. "Bystanders to Genocide," Atlantic Monthly. September 2001. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/09/power.htm

Nov. 21 Surviving Human Rights Violations: Personal Stories (I)
Presentations 9, 10 & 11

Philip Gourevitch. We wish to inform you... (pp. 277-353)
Kerry Kennedy-Cuomo. 2000. "Elie Weisel" in Speak Truth to Power. http://www.speaktruth.org/defend/profiles/profile_24.asp

Nov. 26 Surviving Human Rights Violations: Personal Stories (II)
WRITING PORTFOLIO due 11/26
Presentations 12 & 13

Ariel Dorfman. 1994. Death and the Maiden.

* * * Nov. 28th (THANKSGIVING BREAK): No Class * * *

Dec. 3 Can One Achieve International "Justice" In the Face of War Crimes?
Presentations 14 & 15

Kenneth Roth. 2001. "The Case for Universal Jurisdiction" Foreign Affairs, September/October 2001. http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20010901faresponse5577/kenneth-roth/the-case-for-universal-jurisdiction.html
Henry Kissinger. 2001. "The Pitfalls of Universal Jurisdiction" Foreign Affairs, July/August 2001. http://www.globalpolicy.org/intljustice/general/2001/07kiss.htm
Harry Krelsler. 1997. "Law and the Search for Justice," Interview with Justice Richard J. Goldstone, Institute of International Studies, University of California at Berkeley. April 14, 1997. http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people/Goldstone/gold-con0.html

Dec. 5 Debriefing: What Have We Learned?

To Access Readings on Electronic Reserve, Click here:
http://eres.library.denison.edu/coursepage.asp?cid=669&page=01

Last Updated: September 1, 2002
URL: http://www.wooster.edu/polisci/mkrain/main.html
Send comments or questions to:mkrain@wooster.edu
Copyright 2002, The Trustees of The College of Wooster