[WSCSS] Summer Program

[Gary and Robyn Cressman]

Competing Visions of Human Rights

A Summer Leadership Institute for Teachers
July 6 - 9, 2010 

Over the past several decades, human rights discourse has permeated
international relations, creating a surge in treaties, institutions,and
social movements centered on the concept. Yet while the general principle
of human rights has been broadly accepted, human rights abuses persist and
the intricacies of the subject remain hotly contested. What exactly
constitutes human rights? Are these rights universal or culturally
relative? How are they prioritized and implemented, and what action should
be taken to protect them? These questions have significant implications
for the policy decisions of governments and ultimately for the lives of
individuals.

The Choices Summer Institute will give participating teachers an
opportunity to examine the concept of human rights and the challenges of
enforcing human rights at an international level. Using the Choices
curriculum, participants will also explore effective instructional
strategies for engaging adolescents in the topic. Major themes covered
during this institute include:

•  cultural relevance vs. the universality of human rights
•  state sovereignty vs. international institutions and expanding
international law 
•  humanitarian law and humanitarian intervention
•  the role of human rights in foreign policy

While in attendance at Brown University's Watson Institute for
International Studies, participating teachers will learn from leading
scholars in the fields of international law and foreign policy. Working
collaboratively, teachers will also have opportunities to develop and
share relevant lessons with other dedicated and innovative teachers.

For further information and application:
http://www.choices.edu/pd/institutes_7_2010.php