As Latin American countries moved from military dictatorship to civilian government in the 1980s, a burning issue was how to deal with the massive repression and grave human rights violations of the recent past. Should there be an effort to hold perpetrators accountable, or simply "turn the page?" This article documents and analyzes the…

The Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that 'disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind'. From this point of departure, we argue that philosophical, political, and religious reflections on core concepts such as conscience, freedom, equality,…

This paper focuses on the role of narrative in enabling educational processes to support justice and equality in multicultural societies. It draws on Bhabha's (2003) concept "the right to narrate", arguing that conceptions of multicultural education which focus exclusively on the nation are insufficient in a globalized and interdependent…

Contends that public education has basic, secular texts that include basic human rights common to all the world's peoples. Identifies the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 as the first of these documents. Argues that schools in all nations should emphasize equality of rights and equality of dignity. (CFR)

This curriculum guide incorporates three dimensions of human rights education: teaching about human rights, teaching against human rights violations, and teaching for the creation of a world in which all human beings are treated with justice and dignity. The book is based upon the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).…

This curriculum resource on human rights is rooted in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and seeks to help students understand the issues involved. Using the rights categories suggested by the Universal Declaration, this book offers new ways of teaching about familiar themes. The book contains activities to encourage students…

In this article, the author examines another dimension of human rights--the problem of torture. He looks at U.S. commitments to international conventions prohibiting torture in light of the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. He shows how a position adopted by the Bush administration that these international conventions did not apply to the war…

Provides a brief history of the development of the United Nations. Identifies achievements of the United Nations in the promotion of human rights, the translation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into binding international covenants, and the establishment of monitoring mechanisms to ensure the protection of human rights. (KO)

This learning packet consists of 10 exercises which can be used independently by students or as class activities. The activities in the packet were developed to foster awareness of international human rights issues. The objectives are stated at the top of each exercise, with vocabulary words listed under the objectives. Materials from the…

Economic justice means taking the personhood of poor people into account; respecting their needs, personal ambitions, rights, and dignity; and affording equal opportunity and equal access to education, health care, housing, and jobs. Examples of injustice to minority groups are provided, citing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (SLD)

This learning packet contains seven modules designed to teach about human rights around the world. These activities may be integrated into different subjects within the social studies curriculum. For each module, the case studies are drawn from two of the five countries included in the "Handbook on Human Rights and Citizenship." Each…

Describes Partners in Human Rights Education in which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides the framework for using interactive teaching methods to relate human-rights concepts to students' lives. Highlights Amnesty International's "Urgent Action Network" that encourages children to become lobbyists in a letter-writing…

Presents a lesson designed to help students identify components of justice and discern issues of justice and injustice in daily life. Includes background information and preparation, an activity preparation phase, and an application phase in which five role-playing scenarios are used. (CFR)

Presents a lesson designed to analyze cultural practices from the perspective of U.S. laws. Proposes a legal philosophy continuum ranging from universalist to relativist positions. Provides student handouts that present legal case studies involving cultural contexts. (CFR)

This handbook was designed to help students learn the cultural contexts in which human rights are variously defined. It provides a comparative study of five nations, selected for their geographic and cultural scope, as a unique way to study human rights. Chapter 1 sets the stage for the study by presenting activities for establishing class…