Tools for Transformation
Funded Proposals
The HRERN at its Bothell, Seattle, and Tacoma sites will promote the integration of scholarship and teaching of human rights by generating leading research, developing new pathways of learning for students, and relating this work to the world of practice. The nonpartisan Center will provide intellectual, institutional, and financial support for researchers and teachers at all levels of theory and practice to further their work in the emerging field of human rights. It will develop a world-class bank of resources that will include extensive manuscript and electronic library resources, opportunities for students and faculty to do primary research, and curriculum development connecting the University to the K-12 schools and community colleges in the Northwest.
| Contact: |
Bruce Kochis Senior Lecturer, Liberal Studies UW Bothell bkochis@u.washington.edu |
| Allocation: | $271,806 |
| Date Funded: | September 1998 |
PROGRESS REPORT
May, 1999
Since its inception in September 1998, the HRERN has made greater-than-expected progress toward its major objectives of coordinating the human rights research, curriculum, and policy outreach activities of the faculty, staff, and students of the University. Indeed, under the pressure of demand the HRERN has expanded its activity with several additional projects that complement the original mission in significant and meaningful ways. The HRERN has launched all its major initiatives within budget and, given the volatility of current human rights events in the world and locally, has shepherded its resources well to meet some of the ever-changing needs of the University and non-University communities.
Through the sponsorship of research grants, visiting speakers, and conferences, the HRERN has expanded and deepened the emerging field of human rights research. At least four articles or manuscripts are forthcoming as a direct result of HRERN support and numerous student research projects have been stimulated.
Curriculum development grants have been awarded and will produce this summer alone four new human rights courses that will become available to all three campuses of the University beginning in the spring of 2000.
The Network has sponsored and been involved in over 20 workshops and panels as policy outreach activities focusing in the community as a whole. These have included consultations with congressional and city policy makers, as well as forums with community non-governmental organizations. The HRERN has become recognized as a source of credible information and discussion on human rights issues. Significant international contacts have been established and nurtured with Russia, Argentina, Guatemala, South Africa, Senegal, Croatia, England.
The scope of the HRERN has grown to include projects in law, international treaty research, remediation of human rights abuses, media, and community and business partnerships.
Related, and important, effects of the HRERN have been the closer cooperation and integration of activities across the three campuses. Faculty visiting classes, exchanging information through a list serve and web page, and encouraging the communication among students has been successful and is increasing.
Major future activities include the sponsoring of a conference on Labor Rights as Human Rights, the support for major speakers on human rights to campus, the implementation of the newly developed curriculum and its integration with current curriculum, and a greater emphasis on including the arts in the emerging field of human rights work.
Tools for Transformation
Funded Proposals
