Systematically Incorporating Human Rights in Political Science Education

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Abstract

The topic of human rights should be central to a political science education. For several decades it has been on the periphery taught as part of a course or sometimes as a stand-alone course but not usually a required course. It has not been deemed essential. And yet, it has been called the lingua franca of international political discourse. Within governments there are ministries and departments of human rights and national human rights institutions; diplomats regularly engage in discussions of human rights; it is covered in newspapers on a daily basis. Thus, human rights is relevant to many political science topics including political institutions, law and politics, comparative politics, and international relations. To become well-educated about any of these requires knowledge of human rights though it is not a well-established part of PS curricula and it has not been scaffolded into it in such a way as to build a deep understanding of it. Students graduating without a firm understanding of the role of human rights in political science are missing an important piece. Also, if a responsibility of academia is to critique a field, human rights should be properly incorporated in the political science discipline.

This paper will discuss the need for more human rights in higher education, present a short history of human rights in curricula, an analysis of the current state of human rights education around the globe, and finally make recommendations for establishing human rights in political science in a systematic way.

We need more of it not only because societies need more human rights but also because millions of organizations focus on human rights be it governments, thousands of non-governmental organizations, international organizations with human rights in their remit, as well as all the multinational corporations that are increasingly required to pay attention to their effects on human rights. The history of it in education begins with law schools then slowly it infiltrated numerous disciplines beginning with political science and international relations majors. Now its ripe to become more firmly embedded.

Next, I will review trends in how it is taught in different countries. Revealed will be both a lack of consistency and a loose consensus on what should be included in a human rights education. Also, the need for a greater understanding among faculty on what is appropriate to include under the heading of human rights will be discussed. There is a difference between what is covered by the umbrella of social justice and what is in fact part of human rights. Political science and international relations are essential in helping achieve the distinction.

Based on my research, recommendations will be made for incorporating more human rights in political science. This will include knowledge content such as theory and history of human rights to the so-called human rights regime as well the essential role of human rights law. I will also promote a critical pedagogy of human rights.

Author

• Sarita Cargas, University of New Mexico