SOSC 415 - Human Rights and Culture

3 credit hours
Prerequisites: ANTH 101 and ENGL 112
This course provides an overview of how human rights are established, maintained, and changed. Students examine the basic elements of human rights and their application to a variety of situations in contemporary societies. Interconnections between inequalities of power, human rights violations, and culture are covered. Students will consider the paradox between global standards and the preservation of local traditions and ways of life in the larger context of culture change. Specific examples in which human rights campaigns that have encountered resistance attributed specifically to the preservation of indigenous cultures are discussed. Students will investigate the debate over the universality of human rights and consider the complexities involved in applying global standards and the related change implications to local cultural values, traditions, and practices. This course will utilize a variety of learning strategies, including but not limited to assigned readings, videos, case studies, lectures, research and writing, group discussions, and group activities.
Course Delivery Methods: BLD, WEB, ONL, SEL
College: CGPS