THE CHOICES PROGRAM BROWN UNIVERSITY
VIDEO COLLECTION

Competing Visions of Human Rights: Questions for U.S. Policy

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Introduction: What are Human Rights?

Why should high school students learn about human rights?
What are human rights?
What are human rights?

Part I: A Brief History of Human Rights

What is historical memory?
How do governments and citizens shape historical memory?
What are the consequences of forgetting historical violence?
What is the significance of the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions?
What was the Holocaust?
What is genocide?
What is the difference between war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide?
Why is the Genocide Convention significant?
How are international courts becoming more important in addressing human rights abuses?
In 2009, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s president. Why is this a challenge to human rights law?
What is the relationship between international human rights law and state sovereignty?
What are some of the challenges of prosecuting the crime of genocide?
What is the U.S. track record on human rights?
How has the human rights movement evolved to include social, economic, and cultural rights?
How did the U.S. Constitution exclude certain groups?
How does membership in the UN promote human rights?
What factors led to the Holocaust?
How did the international community respond to the Holocaust?

Part II: Human Rights in Practice

How can the UN and other international organizations prevent human rights abuses?
What is the UN authorized to do when human rights are violated?
What types for rights does Human Rights Watch focus on?
How does Human Rights Watch promote human rights?
How does U.S. policy influence human rights around the world?
What challenges do human rights activists face?
How are the rights of children addressed in international law?
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights?
Why do states make reservations to human rights treaties?
What is a reservation to a treaty?
Why is local context important in dealing with the effects of climate change?
Should the international community pressure China’s government to improve its human rights practices?
What can young people do to take action on climate change?
Which human rights does the United States prioritize?
How do human rights affect U.S.-China relations?
What is the UN doing in Myanmar?
How are nongovernmental organizations responding to climate change?
What is globalization?

Part III: Case Studies in Human Rights

Who was Augusto Pinochet and why is he an important figure in Chilean history?
What was the significance of the arrest and prosecution of Pinochet for Chile?
Why was the arrest of Pinochet a topic of international controversy?
What challenges does Brazil face in providing the right to health for its citizens?
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights?
What can other countries learn from Brazil’s experience with the rights to health?
When do human rights abuses become genocide?
What does it mean to say that health is a human right?
How did the international community respond to Brazil’s HIV-AIDS policies?
How did NATO’s intervention in Bosnia set a precedent?
How did Brazilian activists promote their agenda?
Why is it important for high school students to understand Brazil and its transition to democracy?
What role did public action play in the Brazilian health movement?
Why is studying genocide important?
Why is there a tension between state sovereignty and international law?
What are the limitations of truth and reconciliation commissions?
How do truth and reconciliation commissions help societies come to terms with past human rights abuses?
What is universal jurisdiction?
How can human rights law prioritize some rights over others?
Why should high school students learn about Brazil and the right to health?
How does the Chinese government control internet activity?
How has Brazil been successful in fighting HIV/AIDS?
Why did Brazil enact a new constitution in 1988?

Lesson: Key Concepts in Human Rights

What is international law?
How does culture affect the interpretation of human rights treaties?
How is international law incorporated into domestic law?
What is the relationship between international human rights law and state sovereignty?
How can human rights law prioritize some rights over others?
How has the human rights movement evolved to include social, economic, and cultural rights?
How does law protect human rights?
What does it mean to say that health is a human right?
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights?
What are human rights?
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights?
Why is there a tension between state sovereignty and international law?

Lesson: Promoting Human Rights through Social Movements

What is happening in Egypt?
What did the civil rights movement accomplish?
What was the significance of the arrest and prosecution of Pinochet for Chile?
Why was the arrest of Pinochet a topic of international controversy?
Who was Augusto Pinochet and why is he an important figure in Chilean history?
What were the effects of the 2011 Arab Revolutions?
How successful was the civil rights movement?
What were the major accomplishments of the civil rights movement and what challenges remain?

Lesson: Human Rights Controversies

When do human rights abuses become genocide?
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights?
What does it mean to say that health is a human right?
Is health regarded as a human right in the United States?
What challenges does Brazil face in providing the right to health for its citizens?
What can other countries learn from Brazil’s experience with the rights to health?
How did NATO’s intervention in Bosnia set a precedent?
How did the international community respond to Brazil’s HIV-AIDS policies?
How are the rights of children addressed in international law?
How did Brazilian activists promote their agenda?
Do different cultures have different understandings of human rights?
What role did public action play in the Brazilian health movement?
Why is there a tension between state sovereignty and international law?
How do truth and reconciliation commissions help societies come to terms with past human rights abuses?
What is universal jurisdiction?
How can human rights law prioritize some rights over others?
How has Brazil been successful in fighting HIV/AIDS?
Why did Brazil enact a new constitution in 1988?
What was the significance of the arrest and prosecution of Pinochet for Chile?
Why was the arrest of Pinochet a topic of international controversy?
Who was Augusto Pinochet and why is he an important figure in Chilean history?
Why should high school students learn about Brazil and the right to health?
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