POL41020

By examining recent political science scholarship on human rights, this module will facilitate understanding of how human rights norms spread and what effects they have on state behavior. After a brief theoretical and historical overview of international human rights, the course will turn to perspectives that seek to explain how and under what conditions human rights norms would be expected to influence state conduct. Topics covered include the role of transnational activist networks, legalization and legal norms, transitional justice, trade and economic sanctions, and the role of domestic institutions. The module does not cover the normative basis of human rights in any detail. The module will examine both quantitative and case-study empirical work to understand how and when various theories hold and what scholarship has yet to uncover. The module will be taught as a series of seminars in which students will be expected to complete all required reading and come to class prepared to discuss it in a critical and collegial fashion.