ID247

Description

Since the mid-twentieth century, NGOs have pioneered advocacy strategies to address human rights abuses around the world. This course investigates the practice of human rights advocacy from a combination of practitioner and interdisciplinary academic perspectives. Students will analyze and evaluate a range of advocacy strategies and tactics used in the field of human rights through a combination of critical reflection, research, and practical skills-building. The goal is to better understand the tradeoffs, tensions, and debates regarding different advocacy options. In doing so, students will develop their ability to identify the various levels at which human rights advocacy interventions can or need to take place, including the possibly complementary or contradictory roles to be played by local, national, and international actors. Key skills covered through role-play and simulated advocacy exercises in combination with assignments that range from issue-monitoring and interviewing to writing for the media and preparing planning memos. The course is designed so that students can pursue their own human rights subject-matter interests regardless of major, minor, or concentration. No pre-requisites are required.