POLS 4470 - Human Rights in Asia

The course Human Rights in Asia will provide students with a broad overview of the human rights situation in Asia, and, especially, in relation to pressing contemporary challenges of democracy, development, sociopolitical issues, natural resources, etc. The course has been designed into three sections:

The first part will provide some theoretical and philosophical background as well as an understanding of human rights in Asia. The focus will be made on Asian values and the human rights issues will then be contextualized within broader contemporary dynamics and tradeoffs with democracy and development.
The second part will focus on the human rights situation in a number of countries, namely in China, India, Cambodia, Korea, and Myanmar. The list will change every semester/year.
The third part will touch base on the rights of a number of categories of vulnerable persons, namely minorities and indigenous peoples, women, children, etc.