Human Rights Studies College of Letters & Science

Keith Watenpaugh, Ph.D., Program Director

Program Office

213 Sproul Hall; 530-752-0835; Human Rights Studies; Faculty

Human Rights Studies is the newest interdisciplinary program at UC Davis and the first of its kind in the University of California system. Our new century has brought with it a host of complex, unprecedented, and daunting challenges to basic human rights; courage, creativity, and a commitment to sustained and innovative interdisciplinary collaboration are necessary to understand, address and solve these challenges. Human Rights Studies is a place for incubating, supporting, coordinating, and promoting faculty and student research, teaching, learning, service, and engagement across the campus on Human Rights and its attendant fields: humanitarianism, environmental justice, genocide, mass sexual and gender-based violence, refugee studies, memory studies, and post-conflict transitional justice. Undergraduate Human Rights students go on to join the Peace Corps, attend graduate school in the humanities and social sciences, and pursue professional programs and careers in public policy, law, education, nursing, and medicine.

Human Rights (HMR)

HMR 001 — Human Wrongs/Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to Human Rights and the problems they seek to address. Using key episodes of inhumanity like slavery, genocide, and racism. Examines how international movements for social justice led to the emergence of the international Human Rights system.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 120A — Art, Architecture, & Human Rights (4 units)

This version has ended; see updated course, below.
Course Description: Study of human rights as they relate to art, architecture, and cultural heritage. Examines museums, art collections, and cultural-heritage management, their relation to the cultural prerogatives of communities and indigenous groups, and protection of cultural heritage during war and conflict.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: AHI 120A.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
  • HMR 120A — Art, Architecture, & Human Rights (4 units)
  • Course Description: Study of human rights as they relate to art, architecture, and cultural heritage. Examines museums, art collections, and cultural-heritage management, their relation to the cultural prerogatives of communities and indigenous groups, and protection of cultural heritage during war and conflict.
  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: AHI 120A.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC).
  • This course version is effective from, and including: Spring Quarter 2025.

HMR 130 — Special Topics in Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Thematic study of human rights. Topics may include contemporary or historical issues in the promotion, protection, and violation of human rights; human rights and the arts, religion, literature are possible topical areas.

Prerequisite(s): HMR 134 or RST 134 recommended.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 131 — Genocide (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative and critical study of the modern phenomenon of genocide from religious, ethical and historical perspectives.

Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Term Paper/Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 132 — Human Rights & the Refugee (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, historical, global and theoretical study of the human rights of refugees and the concept of the refugee; analysis of refugee protection, resettlement and integration; study of United Nations, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and refugees.

Prerequisite(s): Junior standing.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); American Cultures, Governance, & History (ACGH); Domestic Diversity (DD); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 134 — Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of the origins, evolution, denial and protection of Human Rights.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Term Paper/Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Credit Limitation(s): No credit for students who have completed RST 090.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 135 — Human Rights Tools For Advocacy & Practice (4 units)

Course Description: Practices in the field of human rights leading to improvements in people’s lives; recent political developments in the global application of human rights and strategic tools used to promote the realization of human rights standards. Key international and local NGOs and their work promoting the capacities of rights holder to claim and enjoy their rights and in persuading duty bearers to fulfill their human rights obligations.

Prerequisite(s): HMR 134 recommended.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Term Paper/Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 136 — Human Rights in the Middle East (4 units)

Course Description: Study of the experience of Human Rights in the modern Middle East, with special attention to the Human Rights issues raised by events of Arab Spring; Palestine-Israel conflict; history of genocide, mass killing and totalitarianism in the region.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 137 — The Black Human Rights Tradition (4 units)

Course Description: Key figures and frameworks in the Black human rights tradition. Significance of Black intellectuals and activists in social movements toward an expanded human rights tradition. Analysis and application of Black studies methods to contemporary social issues.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 4 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: AAS 103.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); World Cultures (WC).

HMR 138 — Human Rights, Gender, & Sexuality (4 units)

Course Description: Gender and sexuality in the context of human rights. Topics include women's participation in the public sphere, the right to change gender, the right for family privacy, and the right to marriage.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 140A — Human Rights & the Popular Imagination (4 units)

Course Description: Arts, music, literature, film and television in the rise of human rights movements and the protection, promotion and violation of human rights. Topics may include: human rights & science fiction; human rights & the graphic novel; human rights & contemporary cinema; human rights & rock and roll.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Term Paper/Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 1 time(s) when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 140B — Art & Politics of Memory: Truth, Justice, Reconciliation & Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Critical exploration of the role of art and memory in the dictatorships, authoritarian societies, civil conflicts, and genocides of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Case studies focus on the violation of massive human rights and political and cultural conflict for truth, justice, and reconciliation in the aftermath of those violations. Emphasis on how memory is constructed and contested by states, artitists, writers, historians and different ethnic and political communities.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Term Paper/Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 1 time(s) when subject matter differs; e.g., when taught by a different instructor or focusing on a different region or era.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 160 — Human Rights & Indigenous Peoples (4 units)

Course Description: Interdisciplinary, global, and comparative study of human rights and the history, struggles, revitalization, and current status of indigenous peoples. Topics include the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, settler colonialism, genocide, indigenous rights movements, and efforts towards justice, recognition, and restitution.

Prerequisite(s): HMR 001 or HMR 134 or HMR 161 or NAS 001 recommended; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Extensive Writing.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Domestic Diversity (DD); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 161 — Human Rights in Latin America (4 units)

Course Description: History of the origins, denial and protection of Human Rights in Latin America. Emphasis on dictatorships, political violence, social resistance, democracy, justice, accountability, truth commissions, memory.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Cross Listing: HIS 161.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 162Y — The History of Human Rights in Europe (4 units)

Course Description: History of the origins, development, and state of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) in Europe. Emphasis on Enlightenment-era and modern theories of the source, utility, and limits of human rights.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Web Electronic Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Cross Listing: HIS 126Y.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC).

HMR 165 — Human Rights in Film & Television (4 units)

Course Description: Human rights depictions in film and on television, including topics: genocide (Rwanda, Armenia, Indonesia), political persecution (Guatemala), carceral abuses (U.S.), human trafficking (Europe), persecution for sexual preference (Cuba). Documenting abuse as well as remedying it.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s), Film Viewing 2.5 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Cross Listing: CDM 165L.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 190 — Seminar (4 units)

Course Description: Emphasis on current scholarly debate about the methods for analyzing and comparing diverse human rights issues with the intention of integrating disciplined study of the field.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

HMR 190G — Advanced Study of Genocide & Mass Atrocity (4 units)

Course Description: New and emerging scholarship on genocide and mass atrocity; development of independent research on the subjects of genocide and mass atrocity; career opportunities in genocide and mass atrocity study and prevention.

Prerequisite(s): HMR 131; HMR 134; consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).

HMR 192 — Human Rights Internship (1-12 units)

Course Description: Participation in community service, Human Rights Studies outreach, collaboration with community groups locally, nationally or internationally culminating in an analytical term paper on a topic approved by the sponsoring instructor. Students will work with faculty to develop, plan and implement an internship with a local non-profit organization, government organization, or similar institution with the purpose of exploring the practical implementation of human rights.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; upper division standing.

  • Learning Activities: Internship 3 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: P/NP only.

HMR 193 — Seminar in Global Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Advanced seminar in major global contemporary and historical human rights issues; new and emerging challenges to human rights; new methods and approaches to human rights advocacy in a global context; exploration of career and post-graduate opportunities in human rights practice, advocacy and public/international service.

Prerequisite(s): HMR 134; HMR 135; consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Open to Human Rights Studies majors and minors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC).

HMR 198 — Directed Group Study (1-4 units)

This version has ended; see updated course, below.
Course Description: Group study on focused topics in human rights. May be taught abroad.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • HMR 198 — Directed Group Study (1-4 units)
  • Course Description: Group study on focused topics in human rights.
  • Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • This course version is effective from, and including: Fall Quarter 2024.

HMR 199 — Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (1-5 units)

Course Description: Opportunity for advanced undergraduate students to work with a faculty member in a focused manner on a topic or topics of human rights.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 3-15 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

HMR 200A — History, Theory & Criticism of Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Introduces the advanced study of Human Rights and the theoretical and practical elaboration of the international Human Rights system. Seminar engages with criticism of Human Rights and develops research and teaching within disciplinary and interdisciplinary frameworks.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Cross Listing: REL 231E.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

HMR 200B — Memory, Culture, & Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Explores the multiple convergences among memory, culture, and human rights. Discusses diverse approaches to how societal actors in different historical, cultural, and national settings, construct meanings of past political violence, inter-group conflicts, and human rights struggles.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Cross Listing: CST 210.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

HMR 298 — Group Study (1-4 units)

Course Description: Group study on focused topics in human rights. Four-unit courses may serve as electives for the Designated Emphasis in Human Rights.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 16 unit(s) when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

HMR 299 — Individual Study (1-12 units)

Course Description: Individual study for the designated emphasis in human rights.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-12 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

HMR 396 — Teaching Assistant Training Practicum (1-4 units)

Course Description: Teaching Assistant Training Practicum.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; graduate standing.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-4 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.