GEND 2187 International Human Rights
Fall Term 2012
MW, 10:00-11:30
Room A227
Instructor: Dr. Rosemary Nagy
Office hours: Tuesday 12-2 or by appointment,
Room A335 or 474-3450 ext. 4156
rnagy@nipissingu.ca
Calendar Course Description: In this course we examine how international human rights law and
norms are promoted and protected under conditions of globalization. We survey major human
rights instruments and the different actors and institutions involved in the international human
rights regime. We ask what it means to say that human rights are “universal” and how they interact
with local values and processes. When might “sovereignty,” “culture” and “tradition” serve to
protect gender-based violence and other human rights abuses, and when does the discourse of
human rights function to impose “Western” values in the interests in dominant powers? How can
international human rights be translated into local justice?
My objectives (that which I, the Instructor, aim to do in this course):

To expose students to the workings of the international human rights regime through
theoretical and case-based analysis

To develop students’ critical inquiry into the possibilities and limits of human rights as a
tool for social justice, with particular focus on local/global intersections and the notion of
universality

To provide ample opportunity for student engagement in class, as well as an opportunity for
students to raise questions or concerns and seek additional help when needed

To assess student learning through a variety of means and with substantive feedback

To facilitate students’ self-understanding as globalized citizens and to encourage political
engagement with human rights issues
Learning Expectations (that which students will do and I will measure):
By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate pre-class preparation (reading and reflection) and comprehension of key
concepts and ideas during class discussions

Identify and explain the major ways in which human rights are protected and promoted

Analytically answer the questions for each week’s reading response

Identify and explain historical and contemporary exclusions from universality in the
development of international human rights
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Distinguish between the international human rights regime and local realities and explain
how they intersect, or not, with reference to specific issues or cases
Select and integrate information from various sources, including electronic and print
resources, to create a report and analysis of specific human rights situations
Evaluate claims of universality or difference using analytical frameworks of gender,
colonialism or race
Clearly communicate ideas and argument in written and oral form
Course Evaluation
Class participation
3 Reading responses (3 pages each; due on the Friday after that week’s class)
(one per each third of the semester; i.e. one from weeks 2 to 4; 6 to 8; 10 to 12)
Research report (6-8 pages, final version due Thursday, Nov. 29)
Final Exam (regular exam period)
10%
35%
25%
30%
Course Outcomes (what should result from successfully completing the course):

Develop research and communication skills

Appreciate the complexity of realizing universal human rights in diverse locales

Critically evaluate claims of humanitarianism or universality, and claims of culture or
difference

Develop critical awareness of the intersections of race, gender, culture and colonialism in
the field of human rights
Required Text (Available at Gulliver’s Books, 157 Main Street West):
Michael Goodhart, ed., Human Rights: Politics and Practice (New York: Oxford University Press,
2009). ISBN: 978-0-19-954084-6.
Useful websites:
See the textbook’s online resources at http://www.oup.com/uk/orc/bin/9780199540846/ for
useful weblinks. See also my website at www.nipissingu.ca/faculty/rnagy
We will be using Blackboard in the course. Please check each week prior to class for
changes/announcements.
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GEND 2187 Course Readings
*Supplemental readings are mainly for your interest, although I will sometimes draw on
supplemental readings in my lecture
1.
Week of Sept 10 – Introduction
Goodhart, “Introduction” in Goodhart textbook.
Ishay, Micheline. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 60: A Bridge to which
Future?" Perspectives on Global Development & Technology 9, no. 1 (03, 2010): 11-27.

Read the “International Bill of Human Rights” (Appendices 1-3 in Goodhart i.e. UDHR, ICCPR,
ICESCR) and familiarize yourself with the other international human rights instruments (CAT,
CEDAW, CRC, ICERD in particular) on the website of the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/
*One Reading Response needs to be completed during Weeks 2 to 4*
2. Week of Sept 17 – Foundations and Challenges: Liberalism and the paradox of human
rights
Langlois, “Normative and Theoretical Foundations of Human Rights,” ch. 1 in Goodhart.
Chandler, “Ideological (Mis)Use of Human Rights,” ch. 7 in Goodhart
*supplementary: Marie-Bénédicte Dembour (2010) ‘What Are Human Rights? Four Schools
of Thought’, Human Rights Quarterly, Volume 32, Number 1.pp. 1-20.
READING RESPONSE: HUMAN RIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO DEFEND THE POWERLESS, BUT IN FACT, HUMAN RIGHTS
ARE IMBUED WITH POWER BOTH IN THEIR HISTORICAL CONCEPTUALIZATION AND POLITICAL REALIZATION.
EXPLAIN.
3. Week of Sept 24 – Foundations and Challenges: Postcolonialism
Mutua, Makau. "Savages, Victims, and Saviors: The Metaphor of Human Rights." Harvard
International Law Journal 42, no. 1 (2001): 201-45 available at
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=1525547
Case study: Kony 2012
See Africa Canada Accountability Coalition blog, “Finding the Good in Kony 2012,” 19 March 2012,
at http://blog.africacanada.org/?p=111 to get a sense of the commentary on this viral video.
We’ll watch the video in class.
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READING RESPONSE: ANALYZE AND CRITICALLY EVALUATE “KONY 2012.” DO YOU THINK IT HAS BEEN HARMFUL
OR HELPFUL (TO WHOM, YOU MIGHT ASK?) IN THE END?
4. Week of Oct 1 – Foundations and Challenges: Feminist Engagements
Ni Aolain, Fionnuala D., “Learning the Lessons: What Feminist Legal Theory Teaches International
Human Rights Law and Practice” (3 June 2009) available at SSRN
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1413930
Tobin, Theresa W. 2009. "Using Rights to Counter “Gender-Specific” Wrongs." Human Rights
Review 10, no. 4: 521-530.
*supplemental: Dauer, Sheila, and Mayra Gomez. "Violence against Women and Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights in Africa." Human Rights Review 7, no. 2 (January 2006): 49-58.
READING RESPONSE (CHOOSE ONE OR SOME VARIATION): WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SAY THAT WOMEN’S RIGHTS
ARE HUMAN RIGHTS? WHAT MIGHT UNIVERSALISM MEAN IN THE FACE OF FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING? AREN’T
SOME PRACTICES SO BARBARIC THAT THEY SHOULD BE OUTLAWED? IS TOBIN DEFENDING FGC, AND WHY OR WHY
NOT?
5. Week of Oct 8 -- Reading Week
*One Reading Response needs to be completed during Weeks 6 to 8*
6. Week of Oct 15 – Realizing Rights? Domestic-International Linkages
Smith, “Human Rights and International Law,” ch. 2 in Goodhart
Cardenas, “Human Rights in Comparative Politics,” ch. 5 in Goodhart
Case Study: Gender Discrimination in the Indian Act of Canada
 Shelagh Day, “Because 153 years of sex discrimination is enough,” Rabble.ca (December 21,
2010) at http://rabble.ca/news/2010/12/because-153-years-sex-discrimination-enough
 Sharon McIvor and Jacob Grismer v. Canada, Communication submitted for consideration
under First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR at http://povertyandhumanrights.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/08/McIvorApplicantsPetition1.pdf. Read Paragraphs 1-29, 37-60,
102-111, 125, 132-143, 147, 156-157, 209-212, 245-251.
*supplemental: Sandra Lovelace v. Canada [1977-1981]
 Overview at http://www.escr-net.org/caselaw/caselaw_show.htm?doc_id=1307559&
 Documents at http://www.usask.ca/nativelaw/unhrfn/lovelace.php (see especially
documents 5 and 18)
 Online video, Lyn Gehl, “Sex Discrimination and the Indian Act” at
http://www.lynngehl.com/video-sex-discrimination--the-indian-act.html
*supplemental: Landman, “Measuring Human Rights,” ch. 3 in Goodhart.
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READING RESPONSE: USING OUR CASE STUDY OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN THE INDIAN ACT, HOW DO
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LAW AND POLITICS INTERACT TO SHAPE HUMAN RIGHTS OUTCOMES?
7. Week of Oct 22 -- Realizing Rights? Transnational Activism
Glasius, “Global Civil Society and Human Rights,” ch. 9 in Goodhart
Rodio, Emily B., and Hans Peter Schmitz. "Beyond norms and interests: understanding the evolution
of transnational human rights activism." International Journal of Human Rights 14, no. 3
(May 2010): 442-459.
Case Study: Amnesty International
 Take a look at Amnesty’s international website (www.amnesty.org) as well as the Canadian
branch (http://www.amnesty.ca/) What sorts of issues are covered overall on the
websites? What seem to be the most pressing issues? How do the two websites compare?
 Chose one Amnesty International report to read (either a country report or a topic-based
report) and be prepared to discuss its content and approach with the class. What sort of
tone is taken? Are any rhetorical devices, visual cues or first-person narratives used? To
whom is this report aimed?
*supplemental: Dauer, Sheila, and Mayra Gomez. "Violence against Women and Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights in Africa." Human Rights Review 7, no. 2 (January 2006): 49-58.
* David Kennedy, “International Human Rights Movement: Part of the Problem?” Harvard Human
Rights Journal, 15 (2002), 101-126.
READING RESPONSE: YOUR REPORT ON AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AS PER CASE STUDY INSTRUCTIONS ABOVE
(BUT INTEGRATE IT WITH THE READINGS, TOO!)
8. Week of Oct 29 – Genocide and Intervention
Scott Strauss, “Genocide and Human Rights,” ch. 16 in Goodhart
Alan J. Kuperman, “Humanitarian Intervention,” ch. 19 in Goodhart
READING RESPONSE (CHOOSE ONE OR SOME VARIATION): WHY DOES SO MUCH SEEM TO REST ON THE WORD
“GENOCIDE,” PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO INTERVENTION? WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE
INTERVENTIONS IN RWANDA, BOSNIA AND DARFUR? HOW DO THEY COMPARE WITH ONE ANOTHER?
9. Week of Nov 5 – Justice for Mass Atrocity
Guest Speaker: Dr. Joanna Quinn, Director, Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict
Reconstruction, Western University (Monday, Nov. 5 via Skype)
Joanna Quinn, “Transitional Justice,” ch. 20 in Goodhart; Second reading TBA
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*One Reading Response needs to be completed during Weeks 10 to 12*
10. Week of Nov 12 – The Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Paul Haveman, “Indigenous Peoples Human rights,” ch. 15 in Goodhart.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (find online)
Case Study: Indian Residential Schools
 Roland Chrisjohn et al, “Genocide and Indian Residential Schooling: The Past is Present,” in
Canada and International Humanitarian Law: Peacekeeping and War Crimes in the Modern
Era, edited by Wiggers, R.D. & Griffiths, A.L. (Halifax: Dalhousie University Press: 2002).
Available at http://www.nativestudies.org/native_pdf/pastispresent.pdf. At least pages
1-8 and Conclusion. (see note below).
 Gregory Younging, “Inherited History, International Law and the UN Declaration,” in G.
Younging, J. Dewar, and M. DeGagné, eds. Response, Responsibility, and Renewal: Canada's
Truth and Reconciliation Journey. Ottawa: Aboriginal Healing Foundation, 2009. Available at
http://www.ahf.ca/downloads/trc2.pdf (go to page 323 for start page of the chapter).
Note: “Time Present” section in Chrisjohn et al, pages 8-13, is from 2002. For those not familiar
with the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, see Aboriginal Affairs and
Northern Development Canada Backgrounder at http://www.aadncaandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100015755.
Note: Canada quietly signed UNDRIP in 2010, emphasizing its “aspirational” and legally nonbinding nature. See Stephanie Dearing, “Canada signs onto UN Declaration of Indigenous Rights,”
(Nov. 14, 2010), Digital Journal at http://digitaljournal.com/article/300206.
READING RESPONSE: AS CANADIANS, WE OFTEN PRIDE OURSELVES ON OUR INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
LEADERSHIP—AFTER ALL, A CANADIAN DRAFTED THE UDHR AND WE ‘INVENTED’ PEACEKEEPING. HOW DOES
THE INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS HISTORY TELL OTHERWISE? WHAT WOULD TRUE LEADERSHIP CALL FOR IN
THIS CASE?
11. Week of Nov 19 – Trafficking
Andrea M. Bertone, “Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation,” ch. 12 in Goodhart.
Sealing, Cheng. "The Paradox of Vernacularization: Women's Human Rights and the Gendering of
Nationhood."Anthropological Quarterly 84, no. 2 (Spring 2011): 475-505.
READING RESPONSE: (CHOOSE ONE OR SOME VARIATION) WHAT DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES DO YOU SEE IN
THE FRAMING OF TRAFFICKING VIS-A-VIS RACE AT THE TURN OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY COMPARED TO NOW?
IS THE UNITED STATES EXPORTING “WOMEN’S HUMAN RIGHTS” TO KOREA? WHAT CONSEQUENCES DOES THIS
“UNIVERSALISM” HAVE FOR KOREAN WOMEN AND THE KOREAN STATE?
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12. Week of Nov 26 – Children and Human Rights Advocacy
Vanessa Pupavic, “Children’s Human Rights Advocacy,” ch. 13 in Goodhart.
Manzo, Kate. 2008. "Imaging Humanitarianism: NGO Identity and the Iconography of
Childhood." Antipode 40, no. 4: 632-657.
*supplemental: Convention on the Rights of the Child
READING RESPONSE: COMPARE AND EXPLAIN THE CONSTRUCTIONS OF CHILDHOOD BEHIND THE CRC AND
HUMANITARIAN IMAGERY.
13. Week of Dec 3 – Conclusions and Review
Repo, Jemima and Riina Yrjölä. "The Gender Politics of Celebrity Humanitarianism in
Africa." International Feminist Journal of Politics 13, no. 1 (03, 2011): 44-62.
READING RESPONSE: WHO IS THE BEST LOOKING CELEBRITY HUMANITARIAN? JUST KIDDING, NO WRITE UP FOR
THIS WEEK. BESIDES, WE ALL KNOW THE ANSWER IS EITHER ANGELINA JOLIE OR GEORGE CLOONEY.
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