REL 222: Seminar: Religious Ethics and Human Rights



REL 222: Seminar: Religious Ethics and Human Rights

Amherst College – Fall 2011

Instructor: Brian Sorrells, Lecturer in Ethics, Yale University

Email: bsorrells@amherst.edu

Phone: 203-697-2490 (home)

Office: Chapin 209

Office Hours: Tuesdays 11:30-12:30; 4:30-5:30; and by appointment.

Class Schedule: Tuesdays 2:00-4:30

Classroom Location: Chapin 119

Description:

This seminar examines a range of the most influential criticisms of human rights; assesses several proposed theories of human rights; surveys the approach of several religious traditions to justifying human rights; and considers a range of issues within contemporary debates, such as women's human rights, religious violence and terrorism, religious freedom, and the role of religion in politics and public law.

Requirements and Grading:

- Careful reading of assigned texts and preparation for discussion

- Regular attendance and active participation in discussion

- Weekly short reflection papers (~1 page) that include two discussion questions

- Two 2-3 page presentations of 5 discussion questions to begin class discussion.

- Seminar paper (15-20 pages). Students should submit a preliminary thesis and outline with bibliography no later than 3 weeks prior to the due date.

- Grading:

- Attendance and participation in discussion: 10%

- Short presentations (2): 20%

- Weekly short papers: 20%

- Seminar paper: 50%

- Academic Integrity: Students should acknowledge in footnotes or endnotes all help from other persons and all sources of quotations, ideas, and lines of argument.

- Late Assignments: Without prior approval, grades for missed presentations or late papers will be reduced by one half letter grade per day.

Class Procedures:

- Course format: Seminar

- Instructor Comments and Discussion: The instructor will comment briefly on the material to open seminar discussion. Then one or two students will make short presentations of 5 thoughtful, well-developed questions for class discussion (20 minute limit per presentation). If two students are presenting questions on a given day, they should communicate and divide the material or otherwise coordinate their presentations.

Textbooks:

- Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice. 2nd Edition

- Michelene Ishay, The History of Human Rights, 2nd Edition

- Milton Konvitz, ed., Judaism and Human Rights 2nd Expanded Edition.

- Ann Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics. 4th Edition.

- Martha Nussbaum, Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach

- Susan Moller Okin, et. al, eds., Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women?

- Joseph Runzo, Nancy Martin, and Arvind Sharma, eds., Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions

- Jessica Stern, Terror in the Name of God, Why Religious Militants Kill

Additional Readings:

Selected journal articles and book chapters will be available via electronic reserves, photocopy, or a course packet. Please check the class website for this course.

SCHEDULE:

SEPT 6: Introduction and Organization:

Orienting the Seminar: Topics, Questions, Approaches, Requirements, Pedagogical Practices.

- Ethics; Religious Ethics; Rights; Human Rights

- Brenda Almond, “Rights,” in Peter Singer, (ed.), A Companion to Ethics. (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1991).

Part I: Human Rights: History, Contemporary Tradition, and Current Debates

SEPT. 13: DAY MISSED DUE TO FAMILY ILLNESS

SEPT 20:

2. Human Rights: Central Documents, Origins, History, and Development

– The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948) See web links or go to United Nations website:

– The International Covenant on Social, Economic, and Cultural Rights (1966) See web links or go to United Nations website:

– The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) See web links or go to United Nations website:

– Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World’s Religions:

– Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, 2nd Ed.: Introduction, Chapters 1 and 2

– Michelene Ishay, History of Human Rights, Introduction and Chapter 4.

SEPT. 27: Presenter: Adrianna

3. The History of Human Rights in the West:

Michelene Ishay, History of Human Rights, Ch. 2 and 3.

OCT. 4: Presenter: Kai

4. Criticisms of Human Rights: Conceptual and Ethical Objections

– Ann Mayer, Islam and Human Rights, 4th edition: pp. 1-11; 57-67.

– Aladair MacIntyre, After Virtue. 2nd edition: pp. 61-71.

– Stanley Hauerwas, Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer in Christian Ethics: pp. 59-64.

– Joan Lockwood O’Donovan, “The Concept of Rights in Christian Moral Discourse,” and Robert George, “A Response,” in Michael Cromartie, (ed.) A Preserving Grace: Protestants, Catholics, and Natural Law: pp. 143-161

– Max Stackhouse, “The Intellectual Crisis of a Good Idea,” Journal of Religious Ethics 26.2 (Fall 1998): 263-268.

– Mary Ann Glendon, Rights Talk: The Impoverishment of Political Discourse: pp. 1-11.

– Jack Donnelly, Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, 2nd edition: Ch. 6

– Brian Tierney, “Introduction,” and “Conclusion,” in The Idea of Natural Rights: Studies on Natural Rights, Natural Law, and Church Law, 1150—1625: pp. 1-9; 343-348.

OCT. 11: Mid Semester Break

Part II. Theories of Human Rights:

OCT 18: Presenter: Grant

5. I. Tradition, Utility, Intuition:

– Tradition:

– REVIEW: “A Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World’s Religions,” in Runzo, Martin, and Sharma (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World’s Religions, pp. 141-47 (course textbook.) (6 pages)

– REVIEW: Stackhouse, “Intellectual Crisis of a Good Idea.” (Above under critics)

– John Langan, “Contrasting and Uniting Theology and Human Rights,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 26.2 (Spring 1998): 49-54. (Available on class website under resources) (5 pages)

– Arvind Sharma, “The Religious Perspective: Dignity as a Foundation for Human Rights Discourse,” in Runzo, Martin, and Sharma (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World’s Religions, pp. 67-76 (course textbook.) (9 pages)

– Utility:

– Martha Nussbaum, “Defects of Standard Economic Approaches,” in Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach, pp. 59-70. (course textbook) (11 pages)

– Intuition:

– David Little, “The Nature and Basis of Human Rights,” in Gene Outka and John P. Reeder, Jr., (eds.) Prospects for a Common Morality., pp. 73-92. (Available on class website under resources). (19 pages)

OCT. 25: Presenter: Grant

6. II. Social Contract, Pragmatic Agreement, Overlapping Consensus:

– Will Kymlicka, “The Social Contract Tradition,” in Peter Singer (ed.), A Companion to Ethics, pp. 186-197.

– John Rawls, “The Law of Peoples,” in Stephen Shute and Susan Hurley (eds.), On Human Rights: The Oxford Amnesty Lectures (Basic Books, 1993), pp. 41-82.

– Charles Taylor, “Conditions of an Unforced Consensus on Human Rights,” in Bauer and Bell (eds.) The East Asian Challenge for Human Rights. (Cambridge, 1999), pp. 124-144.

NOV. 1: Presenter: Nick

7. III. Natural Law; Human Agency and Capabilities; Shared Reasons

– Robert George, “Natural Law Ethics,” in Philip Quinn and Charles Taliaferro (eds.), A Companion to Philosophy of Religion (Blackwell, 1999), pp. 460-465.

– Alan Gewirth, “Action and Human Rights,” in Gewirth, Community of Rights, pp. 8-26.

– Martha Nussbaum, Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 34-59; and 70-105.

– John P. Reeder, Jr., “Foundations without Foundationalism,” in Gene Outka and John P. Reeder, Jr., (eds.) Prospects for a Common Morality. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992), pp. 191-214.

– Sumner Twiss, “History, Human Rights and Globalization,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 32.1 (Spring 2004): PLEASE NOTE: The full text contains very important material, but for our purposes this week, focus especially on Section 1 (Intro. and Background, pp. 39-41) and Section 3 (Changes in Human Rights Justification, pp. 56-65).

Part III. Religious Traditions and Human Rights:

NOV 8: Presenter: Kai

8. Judaism and Human Rights

– Charlotte Elisheva Fonrobert, “A Universal Declaration on Human Rights by the World’s Religions: A Jewish Perspective,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 149-58. E-reserve.

– Elliot Dorff, “A Jewish Perspective on Human Rights,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 209-232. E-Reserve.

– Milton R. Konvitz, (ed.), Judaism and Human Rights. Second Edition. (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers/Rutgers University, 2001), Part I: Selections by Konvitz, Rackman, Irwin; Part III: Selections by Konvitz,and Finklestein; Part IV: Selection by Mendelssohn.

– NOV. 15: Presenters: Alicen and Adrianna

9. Christianity and Human Rights

– Protestant / Reformed statement - Jurgen Moltmann, “A Christian Declaration on Human Rights,” World Alliance of Reformed Churches. (Also in Jurgen Moltmann, On Human Dignity: Political Theology and Ethics. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984.) Available via class website under “Links.”

– Roman Catholic Encyclical – PACEM IN TERRIS, Pope John XXIII, April 1963. Class website under “Links.”

– Phillip Quinn, “Christian Ethics and Human Rights,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 233-246. E-reserve.

– Nicholas Wolterstorff, Justice: Rights and Wrongs, Ch. 16, “A Theistic Grounding of Human Rights,” pp. 342-361. E-Reserve or handout.

THANKSGIVING BREAK

NOV. 29: Presenters: Julia and Alicen

10. Islam and Human Rights:

– Jack Donnelly, “Islam and Human Rights,” in Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice, pp. 72-76. (4 pages – textbook)

– Ann E. Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics, Ch. 2, 3, 4, 7

– Khaled Abou El Fadl, “The Human Rights Commitment in Modern Islam,” in Joseph Runzo, Nancy M. Martin, and Arvind Sharma, (eds.) Human Rights and Responsibilities in the World Religions. (Oxford: Oneworld, 2003), 301-364. E-Reserve.

Part IV: Special Topics:

DEC 6 – Session 1: Presenters Nick and Julia

11. Religion in Politics and Law:

– Robert Audi, “The State, the Church, and the Citizen” , in Paul Weithman (ed.), Religion and Contemporary Liberalism (Notre Dame, 1997). E-reserve.

– Nicholas Wolterstorff, “Why We Should Reject What Liberalism Tells Us About Speaking and Acting in Public for Religious Reasons” E-Resource, in in Paul Weithman (ed.), Religion and Contemporary Liberalism (Notre Dame, 1997). E-reserve.

– Nicholas Wolterstorff, “An Engagement with Rorty,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 31.1 (2003): 129-139. Journal of Religious Ethics. E-Reserve.

– Richard Rorty, “Religion in the Public Square: A Reconsideration,” in Journal of Religious Ethics 31.1 (2003). E-Reserve.

–

– Recommended / Not Assigned:

– Mark Cladis, “Painting Landscapes of Religion in America: Four Models of Religion in Democracy, in Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 76.4 (2008): 874-904.

– Jeffrey Stout, “The Folly of Secularism,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

– Jeffrey Stout, “Religious Reasons in Political Argument,”in Terence Cuneo (ed.), Religion in the Liberal Polity (Notre Dame, 2005).

DEC. 6 – Session 2 (Make up): Presenters: Beth and Sarah

12. Religious Violence and Terrorism:

– Jessica Stern, Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill. Read: Part I in full; Ch. 10, “Conclusion/Policy Recommendations.”

– Mark Juergensmeyer, Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence. Read: Prefaces, Introduction; Chapter 8, “Cosmic War.” Available as an e-book via Amherst Library. E-Reserve.

DEC. 13: Presenters: Beth and Sarah

13. Women and Human Rights

– Ann E. Mayer, Islam and Human Rights: Tradition and Politics, Ch. 6

– Susan Moller Okin, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? Susan Moller Oki with Respondents. Edited by Joshua Cohen, Matthew Howard, and Martha Nussbaum. (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999). Read: Introduction; Part I in full; and Responses by Kymlicka, al-Hibri, and Nussbaum, and others if you choose / according to your own choice.

– Martha Nussbaum, “Religion and Women’s Human Rights,” in Paul J. Weithman (ed.), Religion and Contemporary Liberalism. (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1997), pp. 93-121 only. E-reserve.

DEC. 20: FINAL PAPERS DUE:

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