Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

This course uses a multidisciplinary lens to explore the linkages between global poverty, human rights, and development from an historical, theoretical, institutional, and policy-making perspective. Its departure point is the emergence of a recent “human rights and development” trend, both in academia and policy, as a result of the combined failure of development economics and the human rights movement to effectively address the challenge of global poverty and inequality.e

The first part of the course draws on foundational readings from law, development economics, political science, moral philosophy, and social anthropology to introduce historically and normatively situated approaches to development and human rights. The second part explores key themes and current policy debates in the field as they play out at the levels of international financial institutions, national level development strategies, and the private sector. The third part focuses on how human rights to food, health, housing, and a decent livelihood, for instance, can be advanced in developing countries. In this final section of the course, student groups will design and teach workshops about bringing social rights, poverty alleviation, and equitable development together in grounded ways. In addition to readings, response papers, and class exercises, the course will require each student either to take part in teaching an in-class student workshop or write a final paper.

Students will have the option of adding an additional writing credit.