POL-356 - HUMAN RIGHTS (4 credits)

Faculty leaders:

• Dr. Christian Rice


• Dr. Kelly Sorensen

Students will explore matters related to human rights in the context of Korean history and culture. The Korean peninsula experienced massive human rights abuses during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 until the end of World War II in 1945. Of course, the horrific cost of war only intensified on the peninsula during the Korean War (1950-1953). This course will examine aspects of this history and will explore matters related to ethics and human rights connected to these wars. We will also examine the practice of torture and will visit sites in which it took place. We will explore whether torture is always wrong and familiarize ourselves with the international human rights paradigm and its condemnation of gross human rights abuses. In the final section of the course, we will look at contemporary issues related to human rights, including a look at the fight for rights of LGBTQ persons and those with disabilities.
We will visit a few sites of interest that connect to our course, including a trip to the Demilitarized Zone and Seodaemun Prison, which is now a museum dedicated to those imprisoned during the Japanese occupation. In addition, we plan to meet with representatives from both LGBTQ and disability rights organizations to discuss the current challenges that both movements are facing.

This program will fulfill the XLP, GN, O, SS and LINQ core requirements.

Students will participate in the following activities:

• Hike Dobongsan


• Visit to Seodaemun Prison


• Honorarium for guided Seodaemun Prison


• DMZ/Demilitarized Zone Tour


• Walking Tour of Ahyeondong


• Meet with a disability rights organization to talk about developments in disability rights in South Korea


• Meet with an LGBTQ organization to talk about developments in LGBTQ rights in South Korea


• Visit to The War & Women’s Human Rights Museum
  Seoul street food tour


• Korean Spirit and Culture Workshop


• Gyeongbok Palace Tour


• City tour and scavenger hunt


• Lunch at a restaurant run by a North Korean defector
  students will learn about North Korean cuisine


• Tour of N Seoul Tower with local students


• Han River Picnic for local students


• Community Service with Shoes for Hope Project


• Community Service with Making Audiobooks for the Blind


• Film Feature of: Twinsters


• Trip to ESWS- A Multi-cultural Family Support Center