PHL 3010 - Human Rights: Theory and Practice

Credits: 4

This course critically examines different theories of human rights and considers the development of international human rights law. We will examine the concept of human rights and the moral and political foundations of this idea. We will analyze the distinction between civil and political rights, socio-economic rights, and group rights. We will also examine challenges to international human rights discourse, particularly the challenge of cultural relativism. Finally, we will focus on particular cases and issues, such as women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, racial non-discrimination, the rights of refugees, indigenous rights and the right to self-determination, subsistence rights (food, housing, health care), and environmental human rights. In addition to reading philosophical texts, we will read international human rights treaties and cases, and we will consider how the system of international human rights law operates in practice.
Prerequisite(s): Any 1000 level course in Philosophy
Fulfills: E in LS Core