THE POLITICS OF HUMAN RIGHTS

ET 619
Wednesday, 12:00-15:15, room Dvorišna dvorana
Lecturer: Enes Kulenović, associate professor
Office: room 26, Faculty of Political Science main building
Office hours: Wednesday at 15:15
E-mail: ekulenovic@fpzg.hr

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The aim of the course is to offer students a historical account of how the concept of
human rights has developed as a political ideal invoked in different political
struggles. Unlike a juristic approach that gives an insight into the development of
human rights as a part of international and national legal frameworks or the
philosophical account that offers insights into the very nature and logic of the
concept, this course will concentrate on those political struggles and controversies
that shaped the understanding of human rights we have today.
In the seminar the students will be involved in a simulation of preparing work
documentation for UN Human Rights Council on one of the following topics:
migration & human rights; freedom of speech & human rights; torture &
extraordinary renditions; genocide & humanitarian intervention; cultural relativism
& group rights; human trafficking; human rights & the environment; sexual minority
rights; human rights & drone strikes; economic development & human rights.

REQUIREMENTS & GRADING

Students are required to attend lectures and seminars. They are also required to
prepare for seminar discussions by reading the core literature for that week.
The final grade has three parts: 1) student participation in seminar discussions (10%),
2) group presentation (30%) and 3) final exam (60%). The final exam is an open book
exam covering the topics and core readings from the lectures and seminars.

GRADING SCALE
0 – 49 fail (1)
50 – 64 satisfactory (2)
65 – 79 good (3)
80 – 89 very good (4)
90 – 100 excellent (5)

SCHEDULE
Week 1 (October 4th)
Introduction

Week 2 (October 11th)

Lecture: Conquest of the Indies & Valladolid Debate
Seminar: Genealogy of Human Rights

Week 3 (October 18th)

Lecture: Hugo Grotius & the Birth of International Law
Seminar: documentary or guest lecture
Week 4 (October 25th)
Lecture: English Civil War & Glorious Revolution
Seminar: Group 1 presentation – Freedom of Speech as Human Right
Core Literature: Warburton, Nigel, 2009: Free Speech, Oxford University Press,
Oxford, ch. 1

Week 5 (November 1st)

All Saint’s Day – NO CLASS

Week 6 (November 8th)

Lecture: American Revolution
Seminar: Group 2 presentation – Genocide & Humanitarian Intervention
Core literature: Donnelly, Jack, 2003: Universal Human Rights in Theory &
Practice (2nd Edition), Cornell University Press, New York, ch. 14 (“Genocide and
Humanitarian Intervention”)

Week 7 (November 15th)

Lecture: French Revolution
Seminar: Group 3 presentation - Human Rights and Drone Strikes
Core literature: Amnesty International, 2013: “Will I Be Next?”, US Drone Strikes in
Pakistan, Amnesty International Publishing, London, ch. 6 (“US Drone Strikes under
International Law”), ch, 7 (“US Policy on the Use of Drones”)

Week 8 (November 22nd)

Lecture: Abolitionists & Atlantic Slave Trade
Seminar: Group 4 presentation – Environment & Human Rights
Core Literature: Barry, John & Kerri, Woods, “Environment”, in: M. Goodhart (ed.),
Human Rights: Politics and Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 316-333.

Week 9 (November 29th)

Lecture: Death of Human Rights in 19th Century
Seminar: Group 5 presentation – Torture and Human Rights
Core Literature: Schulz, William F., “Torture”, in: M. Goodhart (ed.), Human
Rights: Politics and Practice, Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 297-315.

Week 10 (December 6th)

Lecture: UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Seminar: Group 6 presentation – Human Trafficking
Core literature: Bertone, Andrea M., 2009: “Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation”, in:
M. Goodhart (ed.), Human Rights: Politics and Practice, Oxford University Press,
Oxford, pp. 201-218.

Week 11 (December 13th)

Lecture: Cold War & Decolonization
Seminar: Group 7 presentation – Business, Development & Human Rights
Core Literature: Richards, David L. & Gelleny, Ronald D., “Economic Globalization
and Human Rights”, in: M. Goodhart (ed.), Human Rights: Politics and Practice,
Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp. 182-299.
Week 12 (December 20th)
Lecture: 70’s Renaissance of Human Rights
Seminar: Group 8 presentation - Sexual Minority Rights
Core literature: Donnelly, Jack, 2003: Universal Human Rights in Theory &
Practice (2nd Edition), Cornell University Press, New York, ch. 13
(“Nondiscrimination for All—The Case of Sexual Minorities”)

Week 13 (January 10th)

Lecture: Human Rights in the 90’s
Seminar: Group 9 presentation – Migration and Human Rights
Core Literature: Loescher, Gil, “Human Rights and Forced Migration”, in: M.
Goodhart (ed.), Human Rights: Politics and Practice, Oxford University Press,
Oxford, pp. 239-259.

Week 14 (January 17th)

Lecture: Human Rights & the War on Terror
Seminar: Group 10 presentation - Cultural Relativism & Groups Rights
Core literature: Donnelly, Jack, 2003: Universal Human Rights in Theory &
Practice (2nd Edition), Cornell University Press, New York, ch. 6 (“Cultural Relativism
and Universal Human Rights”), ch. 12 (“Groups Rights and Human Rights”)

Week 15 (January 24th)

FINAL EXAM

LITERATURE
Amnesty International, 2013: “Will I Be Next?”, US Drone Strikes in Pakistan,
Amnesty International Publishing, London.
Donnelly, Jack, 2003: Universal Human Rights in Theory & Practice (2nd Edition),
Cornell University Press, New York.
Goodhart, Michael (ed.), Human Rights: Politics and Practice, Oxford University
Press, Oxford.
Warburton, Nigel, 2009: Free Speech, Oxford University Press, Oxford.