Skip to main content
Understanding Human Rights 이미지

Understanding Human Rights

강좌 소개


In this course, we will analyze various aspects of human rights, such as their key values, their vital importance, historical development and key legal documents. Students will have opportunities to develop knowledge and awareness of human rights on an international scale.


강좌 계획

generation of human rights? 
주차 주제 소주제 과제
1 The Development of Human Rights 0. Intro to the course & overview of what's to come  
1. Fundamentals of human rights I: Definition of human rights  
2. Fundamentals of human rights II: Key values & aims  
3. Historical background of human rights  
4. Development of human rights I: Key documents  
5. Development of human rights II: Post-WWII universal human rights documents  
6. Summary Quiz Discussion
 2 Generations of Human Rights      1. Generations of human rights: Intro   
2. Generations of human rights I: Civil and political rights   
3. Generations of human rights II: Economic, social and cultural rights   
4. Generations of human rights III: Solidarity rights   
5. A 4th generation of human rights needed?  
6. Challenges to generational rights  Quiz Discussion
 3  Human Rights Violations 1. Human rights violations I   
2. Human rights violations II  
3. Human rights obligations & responsibilities  
4. Who violates human rights?  
5. National level human rights protective mechanisms  
6. International level human rights protective mechanisms & the role of the UN Quiz Discussion
4 Prisoner Rights: US vs Norway Prisons 1. Intro & prisoner rights   
2. Case study: Anders Breivik I - Background information  
3. Case study: Anders Breivik II - Legal case & exploration of prison conditions  
4. Analysis of Norway's cushy prisons  
5. Comparison of Norway's cushy prisons & US harsh prisons I  
6. Comparison of Norway's cushy prisons & US harsh prisons II  
7. Comparison of Norway's cushy prisons & US harsh prisons III Quiz Discussion
5 A Fourth Generation of Human Rights for the 21st Century 1. Is a 4th generation of human rights needed?  
2. Terrorism and human rights: New challenges  
3. Case study: The Apple vs. FBI case - Case info & its enduring legacy  
4. Internet/communication rights: The right to be forgotten Quiz Discussion
6 Transitional Justice 1. What is transitional justice?  
2. Where does transitional justice come from?  
3. Transitional justice objectives  
4. Transitional justice strategies  
5. Challenges for transitional justice  
6. Case study I: Oskar Groening  
7. Case study II: 'Comfort Women'  
8. Summary Quiz Discussion
7 Women's Rights & The Gender Wage Gap 1. History and development of women's rights  
2. CEDAW  
3. Gender wage gap I  
4. Gender wage gap II  
5. Gender wage gap III  
6. Focus on Iceland I  
7. Focus on Iceland II Quiz Discussion
8 Midterm Exam
9 Displaced People I 1. Definition of displacement  
2. Types of displaced people & causes of displacement  
3. Definition of displaced people I: Refugees  
4. Definition of displaced people II: IDPs  
5. Definition of displaced people III: Asylum seekers  
6. Definition of displaced people IV: Migrants  
7. Definition of displaced people V: Stateless people  
8. The problematic nature of definitions of displaced people Quiz Discussion
10 Displaced People II 1. Who helps displaced people? The role of the UNHCR I  
2. Who helps displaced people? The role of the UNHCR II  
3. Problems & challenges  
4. The Syrian refugee crisis  
5. Trump's travel ban Quiz Discussion
11 Case Study: North Korean Human Rights Issues 1. North Korean human rights violations?  
2. Attempts to deal with North Korean human rights abuses  
3. Human rights of North Koreans outside their homeland: China   
4. Human rights of North Koreans outside their homeland: South Korea  
5. Interview: The role of NGOs play in helping North Korean refugees Quiz Discussion
12 Offline Workshop Transitional justice case study evaluation  
13 LGTBQ Rights 1. Definition of the LGBTQ community  
2. Evaluating the status of LGBTQ rights internationally  
3. Military issues I: South Korea  
4. Military issues II: The US  
5. Marriage equality I  
6. Marriage equality II  
7. Abuse and discrimination  
8. Why LGBTQ rights are underdeveloped Quiz Discussion
14 Offline Workshop Problem solving simulation  
15 Final Exam

강좌운영진 소개


Professor : Oliver Terry
Professor in General Education at Sungshin Women's University(2015~)
Researcher at Peace Network Research Center(2014~)
MA in International Politics and Human Rights
BA in Sociology


TA : Seo Minju
Junior in Media Communication at Sungshin Women's University
E-mail :

강좌 수강 정보


  • This course will be 15 weeks long, including a midterm and final exam.
  • There will be a short quiz every week.
  • Students will need to contribute to the discussion board once a week. Students will be given a list of questions/prompts to respond to and will be required to contribute 200-250 words to the discussion board at the end of each unit.
  • The overall grade will be determined from the grades of quizzes(25%), a midterm(30%), a final(30%), and discussions(15%).
  • Students will need to receive an overall score of at least 60% to pass.

자주 묻는 질문

  • Textbook: No textbook is required. Lecture handouts will be provided and links to useful further reading will be posted. If you want to do some background reading, 'Understanding Human Rights - Dilemmas in World Politics (by Jack Donnelly) is suggested.
  • Prerequisite: No background knolwedge on the subject is needed as the course will cover the basics; everyone is welcome!

관련 강좌

  1. major

    Social Sciences
    (Social Sciences)
  2. 강좌 내용의 어려운 수준을 의미합니다. 교양, 전공기초, 전공심화 순으로 난이도가 증가합니다.

    Course difficulty

  3. 강좌를 개발하고 운영하는 기관입니다. 컨소시엄으로 운영 시, 대표기관의 명칭이 나타납니다


  4. 강좌의 구성 주차 수를 의미합니다. (강좌를 충실히 학습하기 위해 필요한 주당 학습시간을 의미합니다.)

    Course Week
    (Estimated Effort)

    (주당 03시간 00분)
  5. 본 강좌 이수자에게 인정되는 학습시간으로 해당 강좌의 동영상, 과제, 시험, 퀴즈, 토론 등의 시간을 포함합니다. (강의 내용과 관련된 동영상 재생 시간의 총 합계입니다.)

    Accredited learning time
    (Video Duration)

    (13시간 45분)
  6. 수강신청이 가능한 기간으로 해당 기간 내에만 수강신청이 가능합니다.

    Course Registration Period

    2018.09.03 ~ 2018.11.04
  7. 강좌가 운영되고 교수지원이 이루어지는 기간입니다. 이수증은 강좌운영기간이 종료된 이후에 발급받을 수 있습니다.

    Classes Period

    2018.10.01 ~ 2019.01.13