Political Science 117:

                                                     The Politics of Human Rights

Instructor: Kristina Thalhammer

Holland Hall 103F, x3528

Office hours: Tuesdays 9:45-11 a.m., Fridays 9-10 and by appointment

You may also call me at home 645-9040

or try me via e-mail thalhamm@stolaf.edu

 

GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE COURSE:

 

This course will introduce you to various conceptualizations of human rights and review a variety of explanations offered by social scientists and others for why human rights abuses occur. The instructor of this class assumes that it is easier to prevent abuses from occurring if we understand their causes. As a class we will learn about the most extreme form of government-authorized or supported human rights abuse (i.e. genocide) as well as less extraordinary, smaller scale violations of human rights.  We will then familiarize ourselves with a variety of theories (e.g. political, economic, ideological, cultural, state-level, individual-level) for why violations of right occur, and assess each theory in terms of available evidence. We will also consider how one might set standards to protect these basic human rights.

            In addition to looking at a number of cases of human rights abuse, you will also be asked to develop some level of expertise about a particular human rights violation. During this month, each student will choose and research one historic or current episode in which violations of human rights occurred or are occurring.  In addition to becoming familiar with the case you select, you will look for evidence to assess how well the theoretical explanations, considered in this class, might explain why abuses took place in this specific case.  By presenting our findings to one another, we will be better able to assess how well the existing explanations of Human Rights violations fit the cases we have studied and consider whether other factors might better explain the events in question.

            Possible cases to explore would include: Rwandan genocide, El Salvadoran and Guatemalan death squads, “ethnic cleansing” in the former Yugoslavia, repression in Stalin’s USSR, the Tiananmen Square repression in the People’s Republic of China, Pinochet’s use of torture, murder and disappearance in Chile, Indonesia’s repression of separatists in East Timor, ongoing repression of civilians by state, paramilitary and guerilla groups in Colombia, US or other states’ treatment of Native or indigenous peoples, South African Apartheid, the Greek secret police in the 1970s, Iran’s SAVAK prior to 1979, Uganda under Idi Amin, the Central African Republic under “Emperor” Bokasa, Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.   Please note:  You may not select Cambodia, the Holocaust, Turkish slaughter of the Armenians, U.S. abuses in My Lai  (Vietnam) or the Argentine disappearances.

            In addition to our consideration of the causes of human rights abuses, we will also consider theories about how human rights abuses can be ended or avoided.  We will focus in particular on episodes in which individuals or organizations have challenged or disobeyed policies that violated human rights and on international initiatives to punish perpetrators. 

           

ASSIGNMENTS:

            In just a few months, we will cover a variety of hypotheses as to why human rights abuses occur.  Lectures, films and guest speakers will complement each day's readings.  You are expected to come to each class having done the readings and ready to 1) summarize each author's central argument, 2) look at whether they attempted to test their hypotheses, and 3) assess what kind of evidence they use to support their approach or suggest ways in which the author's claims could be assessed.  The class will meet according to the schedule listed below.  Generally we will meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays.  On occasion, we will view films or have visitors who cannot meet at our regularly scheduled time. Please note the calendar below and pay attention to class announcements and e-mails, which may alter our schedule.

 

TEXTS

There are three books assigned for this class. The required texts are:

·         H.Arendt  (1965) Eichmann in Jerusalem, Penguin.

·         R. Claude and B. Weston (1995)  Human Rights in the World Community, University of Pennsylvania Press.

·         E. Staub (1989) Genocide: The Roots of Evil, Cambridge.

 

            Readings other than the books listed above are available on online reserve, which you can locate under "library materials" for political science 117 on the L Drive of our server. (See the attached document for details). Throughout the semester, whether you are looking for possible cases or trying to locate original human rights documents, country profiles or to learn more about human rights organizations, you will find links to pertinent websites, at the website of the American Society of International Law (http://www.asil.org/resources/humrts1.htm). 

 

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS: There will be two exams during the course of this interim, covering the information presented in the readings and in class.  Students will also be expected to prepare a two-part research paper, investigating a particular episode of human rights abuse.  The first part of the paper will be a summary of the facts of the particular episode and a description of the context in which this abuse occurred.  In the second half of this paper you will analyze possible causes for the abuses in question, relating your proposed explanations to some of the theories considered in this course.  Be sure to cite the evidence that led you to believe a particular factor or set of factors may have played a role in the case you are studying.  Students will present their findings orally to their classmates and we will use your findings as the basis of discussion and assessment of the explanations being considered.

 

            The assignments will have the following weights:

            Exam 1                                                             25 percent

            Paper Part 1 (5-7 pages)                   25 percent

            Paper Part 2 (5-7 pages)                   25 percent

            Final Exam                                         20 percent

            General participation                                    5 percent

 

SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:

 

PART I:  Introduction to Human Rights

 

Sept. 5:  Introduction. Human Rights definitions and theories. History of Human Rights evolution. Administer RWA scale.

Sept. 8: Universalism v. Relativism, Ideological perspectives.

·         READ  Claude and Weston pages 1-31; bring the Claude and Weston book with you to  class for a discussion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter, and the U.S. Bill of Rights

 

Sept. 10 and 12: The current international context of International Human Rights.

READ The Economist “Human Rights Law”  (online course readings), Claude and Weston, pages 215-255.

·         Sikkink, K., "Human rights, principled issue networks, and sovereignty in Latin America," Interna­tional Organization, 47: 3 (Summer 1993): 411-441 (online course readings).

This Weekend.  Spend some time in the library, considering various possibilities for your case study. (Each of you will select one specific current or historic episode in which significant violations of human rights occurred to be your case study.  <You may not select the Holocaust, Cambodia, Argentina, Turkey or the US massacre in My Lai Vietnam, because these will be used extensively as examples in the readings and lectures>  If you find a case that is of particular interest to you, e-mail your colleagues (poli-sci-117a@stolaf.edu or poli-sci-117b@stolaf.edu) to reserve this topic.  There will be no duplication of topics within a section, so be sure to make your choice known early!

 

PART II: Purported explanations for genocide (economic, psychological, cultural, spirals of violence, bystanders)

 

Sept. 15: Basic human needs as human rights. Does poverty cause abuse? Is repression to achieve stability or development a necessary a necessary evil?

·         READ: Claude and Weston pages 137- 156.

 

Sept. 17:  Topics due.  By this point you should have signaled the class as to your chosen topic by sending e-mail to all of us.  Remember, it's first-come, first served.  If a topic has already been claimed, you will have to choose another subject.

 

Sept. 17 and Sept. 19: Who commits human rights abuses and why? Aggression, culture and other explanations. READ:

·         R. Baron,   (1977) Human Aggression.  Plenum, pp. 191-212 (online course readings).

·         H. Arendt,            ch. 2, 3, 8-13.

 

Sept. 22:  Bibliographic Instruction Session in Library

 

Sept. 24 and 26: Episodes of genocide.  READ:

·         Part I of Staub, pages 1-86.

 

Sept. 29 and Oct. 1: READ:

·         Part II of Staub (chapters 7-11)

 

Oct. 3: READ:

·         Either chapter 12, 13 or 14 of Staub. Be prepared to summarize the events and context covered in the chapter you chose for others in the class who read other cases. What explanations does he offer for why this particular genocide occurred?  Do you think the explanations hold across all the cases he chose?  Across other cases, as well?

 

Oct. 6 : No Class --Work on research for your papers. If you need help, meet with instructor about your thesis and evidence to date during the extra office hours posted this week. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND SCHINDLER'S LIST ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, YOU SHOULD VIEW IT IN THE LIBRARY BEFORE WE MEET WITH MR. ORTELT ON WEDNESDAY. MAKE TIME NOW.

 

Oct. 8: Preliminary Bibliography is due.

 

Oct. 8 and Oct. 10 : Spirals of violence, madness of leaders, ideological and religious fervor as explanations for genocide. READ:

·         K. R. Monroe  "Review Essay: The Psychology of Genocide " (1995) Ethics and International Affairs, Vol. 9, 215-239 (online course readings)

·         N.J. Kressel,  "Introduction," Mass Hate, Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2002 (online course readings) ix-10.

 

SPECIAL EVENING SESSION ON TUESDAY Oct. 14 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. in Viking Theater:  (in lieu of class Mon., Oct. 13). We will watch "Schindler’s List" in Holland 501.   This is a long and emotionally powerful film; Make sure you’ve finished reading for tomorrow’s class before coming to this film or that you’ve set aside adequate time to finish reading before class begins tomorrow.  You will not feel like reading after watching this movie.

 

SPECIAL SESSION WEDNESDAY Oct. 15 from 3:15-5:15 P.M. in  Viking Theater.

Visitor, Henry Oertelt, Holocaust survivor and author of An Unbroken Chain. READ: 

·         Staub, ch. 15.

 

October 17: Exam 1

 

FALL BREAK: No class on Oct. 20

 

PART THREE: Torture, Massacre, and Disappearance

 

October 22 and 24:  Training, culture and other factors contributing to massacre and war crimes– Film: “Frontline: Remember My Lai.”

READ:

·         H.C. Kelman and V.L. Hamilton (1989) Crimes of Obedience, Yale pp. 1-76 (online course readings).

·         Excerpt from R. W.  Altemeyer  (1989) Enemies of Freedom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass (online course readings) 1-15, 51-99.

 

October 27 and 29:  Structural and psychological explanations for human rights abuse. Film: Obedience.

READ:

·        S. Milgram (1965) "Some conditions of obedience and disobedience to authority," Human Relations, 18. (online course readings)

 

 

October 31 and Nov. 3 Economic, political and cultural explanations for abuses. READ:

·         N. Mitchell and J. McCormick "Economic and Political Explanations of Human Rights Violations (1988) World Politics, pp. 476-498 (online course readings) for Nov. 5

·         Chapters 9-13 in Arendt (for Nov. 7)

·         Chapter 18 of Staub. (for Nov. 10)

·        Stepan (1973) "The New Professionalism of Internal Welfare and Military Role Expansion" in Authoritarian Brazil (packet) Nov. 10.

 

November 5 and 7 : Torture -- Violations of the rights of the person – Visit from representative of Center for Victims of Torture. READ:

·         Weston and Burns pages 58-88

 

·        Excerpt from:  Zimbardo, P.G., Haney, C., Banks, W.C., & Jaffe, D.  (1974).  The psychology of imprisonment:  Privation, power and pathology.  In Z. Rubin, Doing Unto Others.  Prentice-Hall.  (online course readings) 61-73.

·        M. Haritos Fatorouris (1988) "The Official Torturer" Journal of Applied Social Psychology 18 1107-1120 (online course readings).

·         Huggins, Martha (2000)"Legacies of Authoritarianism: Brazilian Torturers' and Murderers' Reformation of Memory." Latin American Perspectives, 27, 57-78 (online course readings).

 

***Paper is due at the beginning of class on Nov. 7.  Late papers will be docked 10 percent of final grade for every 24 hours late unless an agreement is reached with the professor.***

 

PART III: Remedies and Preventions

 

Exemplars and Explanations for rescuing behavior

 

November 10, We will watch "Weapons of the Spirit," a documentary based on the story of Le Chambon. READ:

 

·         Shepela, Sharon Toffey, with Cook, J., Horlitz, E., Leal, R., Luciano, S., Lutfy, E., Miller, C., Mitchell, G., Worden, E. (1999).  Courageous Resistance: A Special Case of Altruism. Theory and Psychology, 9(6):787-805.(online course readings)

·         Recommended reading:   Any portion of  P. Hallie, (1979) Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed: The Story of the Village of Le Chambon and How Goodness Happened There. Harper and Row. (on reserve)

 

November 12.. No class at our regular time.  Meet in Viking Theater from 6-7:30 p.m. to hear visitors Nelly Trocme Hewett (witness to/participant in the rescue efforts of the Le Chambon community) and Francelyne Lurie (child survivor of the Nazi hunt for Jews in France) You must bring to class at least three typed questions about the case study of Le Chambon for our visitors to answer.

 

November 14-21: Explanations for altruism

 

·         Nathan Stoltzfus, (1992) Dissent in Nazi Germany, The Atlantic, Sept. 1992, v. 270 n. 3 p. 86 (8).

·         Staub, chapter 18 (for 11/17)

·         Oliner, S. P. and P. M. Oliner (1988) The Altruistic Personality. New York: Free Press (online course readings) 249-260 for 11/21

·         Monroe, K. R.  (1994) "But What Else Could I Do?":  Choice, Identity and a Cognitive-Perceptual Theory of Ethical Behavior, Political Psychology, 15: 2 , 201-226 (online course readings) for 11/21.

 

November 24 Political Altruism: Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo. READ:

·         K. Thalhammer "I'll Take the High Road," Political Psychology , vol. 22, No. 3, 2001, 493-519.

 

December 1: Genocide and Altruism in Rwanda. READ:

·         Excerpt from P Gourevitch, We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with our Families, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux: 1998, 25-31, 110-144.

 

 

Dec. 3 Final paper due.  Review of theories and evidence. Oral Reports

 

Dec. 5 Oral reports continued

 

Dec. 8-10 : Strategies for ending/preventing human rights abuses discussion of human rights activism, regimes and organizations. READ:

·         Ramacharam (No. 19); Donnelly (No. 21); and Wiseberg (No. 25);  in Claude and Weston.

 

FINAL EXAM location and time to be announced.

 

 

Academic Accommodation: Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments or accommodations is requested to speak with me during the first two weeks of class.  All discussions will remain confidential.  Such students also need to contact Student Disability Services in the Academic Support Center in Room 1 of the Old Main Annex.

 

 

Academic misconduct: For the purposes of this class, any act that violates the rights of another student in academic work or that misrepresents your own work is considered academic misconduct and is not permitted.  This includes cheating on assignments, plagiarizing (which means misrepresenting the work of another as your own), and submitting the same paper or substantially similar papers to fulfill the requirements of more than one class without the prior approval of both instructors.  All students are expected to abide by St. Olaf’s honor code.