Time Schedule:
Jason Mayerfeld
POL S 511
Seattle Campus
Ethical writings of major political philosophers. Coherent themes arising from these works and assessment of their impact on concepts of politics.
Class description
"Human Rights and the Global Order." The language of human rights has gained new prominence in domestic and international politics. This poses several questions. Can there be a common understanding of human rights? Can international law be effective in promoting respect for human rights? Is there a tension between international human rights law and democracy? Does respect for human rights require a radical restructuring of global institutions? In addressing these questions, we study some classic texts as well as important recent works. The course should be of interest to students of political theory, public law, international relations, global justice, and human rights.
Tentative schedule. (Some of these readings may be altered depending on student interest.)
Week One. Introduction
Week Two. Realism vs. Internationalism: Classic Texts
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, ch. 13 Immanuel Kant, “Toward Perpetual Peace”
Week Three. Skepticism about International Law
John Mearsheimer, “The False Promise of International Institutions” David B. Rivkin, Jr., and Lee A. Casey, “The Rocky Shoals of International Law” Jeremy A. Rabkin, Law Without Nations? Why Constitutional Government Requires Sovereign States, conclusion Peter Spiro, “The New Sovereigntists: American Exceptionalism and Its False Prophets”
Week Four. The Impact of International Human Rights Law
Beth Simmons, Mobilizing for Human Rights: International Law in Domestic Politics (excerpts)
Week Five. Republican Security Theory
Daniel Deudney, Bounding Power: Republican Security Theory from the Polis to the Global Village (excerpts)
Week Six. A Law of Peoples
John Rawls, The Law of Peoples
Week Seven. Cosmopolitanism vs. Nationalism
Thomas Pogge, World Poverty and Human Rights (excerpts) David Miller, National Responsibility and Global Justice (excerpts)
Week Eight. Universalism about Human Rights
William Talbott, Which Rights Should Be Universal?
Week Nine. Human Rights as an International Practice
Charles Beitz, The Idea of Human Rights
Week Ten. Students present drafts of their term papers.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
Students are required to participate in discussion, give one presentation on the readings, and write a term paper. Students will present drafts of their term paper in the final session.
Grading:
Participation: 25% Presentation on assigned readings: 10% Term paper: 65% Discussion and presentations: 25%
