GOVT155 CM - Human Rights, Failed States, and Conflict Resolution

The current widespread interest in human rights grew out of the effort to assign responsibility for World Wars I and II and to punish those held responsible for starting the wars and for committing atrocities and war crimes. When the Cold War ended, dozens of new states emerged that were riven by religious and ethnic conflict and weakened by illegitimate state structures, resulting in mass murder, famine, terrorism, and genocide. This course relies on philosophical, historical, and political texts to provide a basis for understanding the causes of the most recent outbreaks of human rights abuses and the most promising methods of preventing them. The course also draws on documentaries, biographies, autobiographies, and novels to convey the depth of human suffering during the past two decades.

Prerequisite: GOVT 020 CM

Offered: Every other year

Credit: 1

Course Number: GOVT155 CM