The curriculum Competing Visions of Human Rights: Questions for U.S. Policy draws students into the debate on the role of human rights in U.S. policy. Through readings and activities students explore the history of international human rights and consider various options for defining and protecting rights.
Videos for Readings: The videos below follow the outline of the printed curriculum unit. The headings correspond to the headings in the student readings.
Videos for Lessons accompany lessons in the teacher's guide of the printed curriculum unit.
Scholars Online: Videos for Readings
Competing Visions of Human Rights: Questions for U.S. Policy
Susan Allee
Brown University
Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro
Brown University
David Kennedy
Brown University
Dennis Davis
High Court of South Africa
Anthony Bogues
Brown University
Michael Vorenberg
Brown University
Sarah Leah Whitson
Human Rights Watch
James Green
Brown University
P. Terrence Hopmann
Brown University
Steve Hamburg
Brown University
Tanya Monforte
American University
Ricardo Lagos
Former President of Chile
Amy Nunn
Brown University
Introduction: What are Human Rights?
Part I: A Brief History of Human Rights
What is the significance of the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions? [Anthony Bogues – 1:48]
How did the U.S. Constitution exclude certain groups? [Michael Vorenberg - 2:56]
Early Developments in Human Rights
World War II
Why is the Genocide Convention significant? [David Kennedy - 2:39]
The Birth of the United Nations
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
How does membership in the UN promote human rights? [Susan Allee - 1:14]
The Cold War and Decolonization
Part II: Human Rights in Practice
The Role of National Governments
The United Nations
What is the UN authorized to do when human rights are violated? [Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro - 1:44]
What is the UN doing in Myanmar? [Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro – 1:50]
Other Promoters of Human Rights
International Courts
Nongovernmental Organizations
How does Human Rights Watch promote human rights? [Sarah Leah Whitson – 1:07]
What challenges do human rights activists face? [Sarah Leah Whitson – 1:01]
Social Movements
How did the international community respond to news of torture in Brazil? [James Green – 1:47]
Current Challenges
What is globalization? [P. Terrence Hoppman - 1:48]
What are other pressing global environmental problems? [Steven Hamburg - 1:31]
U.S. Human Rights Policy
What is a reservation to a treaty? [Tanya Monforte – 1:16]
Why do states make reservations to human rights treaties? [Tanya Monforte – 1:44]
What is the U.S. track record on human rights? [Dennis Davis – 3:09]
How does U.S. policy influence human rights around the world? [Sarah Leah Whitson – 1:56]
Part III: Case Studies in Human Rights
Balancing Rights—Freedom of Expressn
How can human rights law prioritize some rights over others? [Dennis Davis – 1:05]
The Right to Health—Brazil
Why did Brazil enact a new constitution in 1988? [Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro – 1:46]
How has Brazil been successful in fighting HIV/AIDS? [James Green – 1:30]
What role did public action play in the Brazilian health movement? [Amy Nunn – 1:09]
How did Brazilian activists promote their agenda? [Amy Nunn – 1:55]
How did the international community respond to Brazil's HIV/AIDS policies? [Amy Nunn – 1:56]
What can other countries learn from Brazil's experience with the right to health? [Amy Nunn – 1:16]
Why should high school students learn about Brazil and the right to health? [Amy Nunn – 1:37]
Universal Rights?—The Rights of Children
How are the rights of children addressed in international law? [Tanya Monforte – 1:30]
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights? [Sarah Leah Whitson – 1:07]
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights? [Tanya Monforte – 0:43]
International Justice—Augusto Pinochet and Chile
What is universal jurisdiction? [Dennis Davis – 3:11]
Why was the arrest of Pinochet a topic of international controversy? [Ricardo Lagos – 2:59]
What are the limitations of truth and reconciliation commissions? [Dennis Davis - 2:33]
Military Intervention for Human Rights—Kosovo
Why is there a tension between state sovereignty and international law? [David Kennedy – 1:20]
How did NATO’s intervention in Bosnia set a precedent? [Susan Allee – 1:23]
When do human rights abuses become genocide? [Susan Allee – 2:25]