Week 2

Objectives

Week 2: Factors of Human Rights Violations

Introduction

Last week, you were introduced to the concepts of human rights, rule of law, and international justice. You also selected a topic for your Capstone Project that relates to one of these concepts and to your concentration. The information from last week was meant to help you begin to conceptualize human rights, rule of law, and international justice. This week, you will focus on human rights violations. Specifically, you will look at factors and consequences of human rights violations. For your Capstone Project you will begin to gather scholarly resources and compose a reference list.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

Explain factors and consequences of human rights violations

Compose a reference list for the Capstone Project using APA style

Resources

Access Resources

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete this week's assignments.

Media

Map of International Human Rights Violations Around the World

Click on the above link to view a map indicating areas where human rights violations occur. Click on each flashing icon to learn about causes of those human rights violations.

Note: For a transcript of this map, please click here Click for more options.

Readings

Course Text: American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Chapter 8, "Works Credited in the Text"

Chapter 9, "Reference List"

Course Text: Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice

Chapter 3, "Economic Rights and Group Rights"

Chapter 13, "Human Rights, Democracy, and Development"

Chapter 16, "Nondiscrimination for All: The Case of Sexual Minorities"

Article: Buergenthal, T. (2009). The contemporary significance of international human rights law. Leiden Journal of International Law, 22(2), 217 – 223.

Article: Human Rights Watch. (2010). Human rights watch topics. Retrieved from

Discussion – Week 2

Human Rights Violations – Factors and Consequences

Many governments officially support the idea of human rights for all, yet there are violations occurring around the world. Human rights violations are nothing new. Historically, human rights violations have been rooted in group exclusion. Take for example the treatment of Jewish people in Nazi Germany or the treatment of Aborigines in Australia. In each case, the excluded group was subject to human rights violations on a grand scale. Human rights violations may be wide-ranging and persistent in some places where there is ongoing warfare, poverty, and discrimination. Factors that contribute to human rights violations include politics, economics, or group conflict. When human rights violations are left unchecked, there may be long-term consequences for victims and communities.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review Chapters 3, 13, and 16 in your course text Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. Focus on issues related to human rights such as political participation, economic development, individual and group rights, and nondiscrimination. Consider how those issues also relate to human rights violations.

Review the article, "The Contemporary Significance of International Human Rights Law". Consider economic and political consequences for states that engage in human rights violations.

Use the map to view human rights violations around the globe. Make sure to pay attention to the causes of violations.

Search the Human Rights Watch website for examples of human rights violations and abuses.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post a brief description of the human rights violation you selected. Then describe two factors that may contribute to this human rights violation. Finally, explain at least two consequences of the human rights violation (locally and/or internationally). Be specific.