UNU/IC - Spring 1999
1 February - 12 March 1999
Tokyo, Japan

Human Rights: Concepts and Issues

I. Purpose and Content of the Course:

This course is intended to help people think about human rights and related issues in proper historical, comparative and global perspectives with a view to finding feasible solutions.

In the first part of this course we will discuss the concept of human rights and norms behind it in philosophical and empirical perspectives. We will also see how human rights have been perceived and defined in different national, historical and cultural contexts. The second part will review and discuss various roles and activities of international and non-governmental organizations involved in the issue area of human rights. After a presentation of an overview and an analysis of legal and political implications, we will make a few case studies on specific institutions, such as the UN Human Rights Commission, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). We will also discuss human right issues and refugee problems in different geographical regions including Palestine. In the final part, we will talk about international human rights in the Post-Cold War world.

II Lecturers:

Lecturers for this course will include:

Professor David Wessels of Sophia University in Tokyo;

Professor Yozo Yokota of Tokyo University;

Dr. Gary G. Troeller of UNHCR;

Dr. Ibrahim Badran, former Human Rights Adviser to the Prime Minister of

Jordan, and Director, Dept. of Palestinian Affairs, Jordan; and

Professor David P. Forsythe of the University of Nebraska.

III Course Outline with Readings:

Week l: Human Rights: Concept and Norms (Prof. David Wessels)

• Course Overview
• A Review of Human Rights Concept and Norms

Recommended Readings:

• Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice
• James Nickel, Making Sense of Human Rights: Philosophical Reflections on the Universal Declaration
• Conor Foley, Human Rights, Human Wrongs: The Alternative Report to the UN Human Rights Committee

Week 2: Human Rights in National, Historical and Cultural Contexts

(Prof. David Wessels)

• Human Rights as Domestic and International Issues
• History of Human Rights Discussion and Debate
• Human Rights: Universality and Particularity

Recommended Readings:

• Edward Lawson (ed.), Encyclopedia of Human Rights
• Abudullahi An-Na’im (ed.), Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives
• James Hsiung (ed.), Human Rights in an East Asian Perspective
• Hurst Hannaum (ed.), Guide to International Human Rights Practice
• Bamidele Ojo, Human Rights and the New World Order: Universality, Acceptability, and Human Diversity
• Mary Robinson, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A Living Document
• Henry Shue, Basic Rights: Subsistence, Affluence, and US Foreign Policy

Week 3: A Legal and Political Analysis of Human Rights Organizations and Activities (Prof. Yozo Yokota)

Lecture 1

1. The UN Charter and Human Rights: the Drafters’ Intention and the Subsequent Unexpected Development
2. The Creation of the Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities
3. The Adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Its Significance
4. The Institutional Development in the Field of Human Rights
5. The Strengthening and Expansion of UN Activities in the Field of Human Rights: Particularly Standard Setting and Monitoring

Lecture 2

1. Effectiveness of the UN Actions in the Field of Human Rights
2. Lack of Coordination among the Various Organs, Bodies and Agencies Involved in Human Rights
3. The Limited Role of the Economic and Social Council
4. The Relationship between the Commission on Human Rights and Its Sub-Commission
5. The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations
6. The Role of Governments
7. The Role of Experts
8. The Role of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Secretariat

Lecture 3

Debate on the Following Question:

"Should UN development assistance organs and agencies, such as UNDP and the World Bank, stop extending assistance to the countries under dictatorial, military Governments?"

Recommended Readings:

• The United Nations and Human Rights: 1945-95, New York, The United Nations, Department of Public Information, 1995
• United Nations in the Field of Human Rights, New York, The United Nations, 1994
• Philip Alston, ed., The United Nations and Human Rights: A Critical Appraisal
• A. H. Robertson, revised by J. G. Merrills, Human Rights in the World: An Introduction to the Study of the International Protection of Human Rights

Week 4: Refugees and Human Rights (Dr. Gary Troeller)

• An Overview on Human Rights of Refugees
• The Role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Recommended Readings:

• UNHCR, The State of the World’s Refugees: in Search of Solutions
• UNHCR Quarterly Review
• UNHCR Basic Information Kit

Week 5: Human Rights: Economic and Political Issues (Dr. Ibrahim Badran)

• Impact of Political Conflicts on Human Rights
• The Middle East, The Palestinian Refugees and Human Rights
• Economics of Human Rights
• Human Rights in Developing Countries – Preparedness and Adaptability
• Bridging the Gap: Assistance to Developing Countries on Human Rights

Recommended Readings:

• John Stremlau, People Peril; Human Rights, Humanitarian Action, and Preventing Deadly Conflict, 1998
• UNDP, Integrating Human Rights with Sustainable Human Development
• The Institute of Diplomacy, The Human Dimension of the Middle East Peace Process
• Joseph P. Shapiro, No Pity: People with Disabilities, Forging a new Civil Rights Movement
• The Report of the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues, Winning the Human Race

Week 6: International Human Rights in the Post-Cold War World

(Prof. David Forsythe)

• Human Rights and Foreign Policy
• Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations
• International Criminal Courts
• Peacekeeping and Human Rights

Recommended Readings:

• David P. Forsythe, Human Rights and Foreign Policy
• A.H. Robertson and J.G. Mills, Human Rights in the World
• Rein Mullerson, Human Rights and Diplomacy
• M. Keck and K. Sikkink, Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics
• Joseph Schwartzberg, "A New Perspective on Peacekeeping", Global Governance, Jan.-Apr. 1997

IV Bibliography

Abdullahi An-Na’im (ed.), Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives, A Quest for Consensus, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1992

Payan Akhavan, Justice in The Hague, Peace in the Former Yugoslavia?, Human Rights Quarterly, 20, 4, November 1998, pp.737-816

Philip Alston (ed), The United Nations and Human Rights: A Critical Appraisal, Calrendon Press, Oxford, 1992.

Mazen Armouti (ed.), The Human Dimension of the Middle East Peace Process, The Institute of Diplomacy, Amman, Jordan, 1995

Antono Cassese, Human Rights, in a Changing World, Polity Press, Cambridge, 1990

Richard Pierre Claude, Human Rights in the World Community, University of Pennsylvania Press, l992.

Jack Donnelly, International Human Rights, Westview Press, l998.

Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 1989

Tony Evans (ed), Human Rights Fifty years on A Reappraisal, Manchester University Press, 1998

L. Finkelstein, Politics in the United Nations System, Duke University Press, Durham, 1988

Conor Foley, Human Rights, Human Wrongs: The Alternative Report to the UN Human Rights, Riners Oram Press, London, 1995.

David P. Forsythe, Human Rights and Foreign Policy, International Journal, Winter 1997-8, pp.114-132.

David P. Forsythe, Human Rights and World Politics, University of Nebraska Press, 1989.

David P. Forsythe, Human Rights Policy: Change and Continuity, in R. Ripley and J. Lindsay, editors, U.S. Foreign Policy after the Cold War, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 1997, pp.257-282

David P. Forsythe, International Criminal Courts: A Political View, Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, 15,1, March 1997, pp.5-19

Johan Galtung, Human Rights in another Key, Polity Press, Cambridge, 1994

Hurst Hannum (ed.) Guide to International Human Rights Practice, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, 1992

Dilys Hill, Human Rights and Foreign Policy – Principles and Practice, Macmillan, London, 1989

James Hsiung (ed.), Human Rights in an East Asian Perspective, Paragon House Publishers, New York, 1985

Charles Humana, World Human Rights Guide, Oxford University Press, New York, 1992

Robert Johansen, The Future of United Nations Peacekeeping and Enforcement, Global Governance, 2,3, Sept.-Dec. 1996, pp.299-334

M. Keck and K. Sikkink, Activities Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics, concluding chapter, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 1997

Edward Lawson (ed.), Encyclopedia of Human Rights, Taylor and Francis, New York, 1991

Vojtech Mastny, Helsinki, Human Rights, and European Security, Duke University Press, Durham, 1986

Rein Muellerson, Human Rights Diplomacy, Routledge, London, 1997

James Nickel, Making Sense of Human Rights, Philosophical Reflections on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, University of California Press, Berkley, 1987

Bamidele Ojo, Human Rights and the New World Order: University, Acceptability and Human Diversity, Nova Science Publishers, New York, 1997.

A. H. Robertson, revised by J. G. Merrills, Human Rights in the World: An Introduction to the Study of the International Protection of Human Rights, Manchester-New York, Manchester University Press, 1992

Mary Robinson, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A Living Document.

Joseph Schwartzberg, A New Perspective on Peacekeeping, Global Governance, 3, 1, Jan.-Apr. 1997, pp.1-16

Joseph P. Shapiro, No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement, Universal Book Traders, New Delhi, India, 1993

Henry Shue, Basic Rights: Subsistence, Affluence and US Foreign Policy, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1980

Jackie Smith, Ron Pagnucco, with George Lopez, Globalizing Human Rights, Human Rights Quarterly, 20, 2, May 1998, pp.379-412

John Stremlau, People in Peril, Carnigei Corporation of New York, New York, USA, 1998

Human Rights Quarterly, Johns Hopkins University Press, ISSN 0275-0392

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch 1998

The Report of the Independent Commission on International Humanitarian Issues, Winning the Human Race, Zed Book Ltd., London and New Jersey, 1988

UN, The United Nations and Human Rights: 1945-95, The United Nations, Department of Public Information, New York, 1995

UN, United Nations in the Field of Human Rights, The United Nations, New York, 1994

UNDP, Integrating Human Rights with Sustainable Human Development, United Nations Development Programme, New York, USA, 1998

UNHCHR, Human Rights reports, particularly The State of the World’s Refugees: In Search of Solutions, 1995

UNESCO, Human Rights reports

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