Weekly Class Blog
A weekly blog on the readings is due at midnight the day before each session. The blog should be between 500–800 words each, and focus on the readings assigned, critically analyzing them for their main merits and demerits. Critique should be reasoned and not be simply expressed as the opinion of the writer. Students are strongly encouraged to read and critique each others’ blogs. The blogs should avoid simply summarizing the readings.
Final Paper
The final paper for undergraduates will be a research paper not exceeding 15 pages (double spaced) on a human rights topic, which requires independent research; for graduate students, a critical research paper not exceeding 30 double-spaced pages. These papers will be on topics of interest to students, based on research drawn from published works or / and websites. The papers should highlight the information gathered, why the issue is important, what is being currently done about it, and your own conclusions. The paper is expected offer a critical analysis and not a summary, and highlight biases, blind spots or hypocrisies in how human rights play out in theory and practice, and at home and abroad.
Sample Student Work
Human Rights and Undocumented Immigrants in the United States (PDF) (Courtesy of an MIT student. Used with permission.)
