Results Filter:
- Websites
- Books
- Media
Child Soldiers
Posted by: mmerryfield on Wednesday, March 3, 2010This UNICEF page describes how child soldiers are being integrated back into society in Chad.
Human Rights in Cross-Cultural Perspectives. A Quest for Consensus.
Posted by: admin on Monday, February 8, 2010Recommended because it contains excellent case studies that examine the coexistence and clashes of different cultures as they impinge on human rights issues, as well as thoughtful critiques of philosophical position. The contributors have done an outstanding job of illuminating complex problems, offering thoroughly researched, probing analyses and expositions that are both well-written and extensively documented. This is a work that can be recommended highly, both to those pursuing the study of cross-cultural validity of rights and to persons with more general interests. Teachers can order this book from www.amazon.com.
Review from Human Rights Quarterly.
Citation: An-Na’im A. A. (Ed.) (1995). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. $19.95.
Educating for Human Dignity: Learning about Rights and Responsibilities.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it, geared toward teachers, demonstrates how human rights education can be approached throughout elementary and secondary schooling. Curriculum frameworks and rationale, resource listings, and sample lesson plans are provided to support the values of human dignity and integrity, economic equity, equal opportunity, democratic participation, and right to a sustaining and sustainable environment. This book is available from http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/1559.html.
Review from University of Pennsylvania Press.
Citation: Betty, R. (1995). Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. $24.95.
Language, Minorities, and Human Right.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it explores language and human rights issues, including language discrimination in international law, ethnicity and race as proxies for language discrimination, the nature of language issues and their importance in human rights, and indigenous peoples and language. The author discusses the connection between language and human rights because language is usually difficult for individuals to change and it usually marks the community to which an individual belongs, language becomes a signaling point like race or religion, identifying those who are different and therefore potential targets for discrimination. This book is available from www.amazon.com.
Review from Human Rights: A Reference Handbook
Citation: De Varennes, F. (1996). Boston: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. $192.50.
Human Rights for Children: A Curriculum for Teaching Human Rights to Children Ages 3-12.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this resource is structured around ten fundamental principles derived from the 1959 UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child. Each principle is presented with a teaching strategy that interprets it for classroom use and a series of activities that give life and meaning to the strategy. These creative activities include a variety of subject areas (geography, mathematics, language arts, social studies, art, music, and physical education) and are divided into three different developmental levels: preschool, primary, and upper-elementary. Following each section is a useful annotated bibliography of additional resources. Be aware of the fact that this title is not currently available for purchase. Review from University of Minnesota.
Citation: Hatch, V., et al. (1992). Alameda: Hunter House Inc. $10.95.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights: An Adaptation for Children.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it is a lovely picture book about the complicated subject of human rights. It is educational and fun to read. Elementary school teachers will find this book useful and practical for teaching children human rights. This beautifully illustrated book will captivate all, especially children. Written by world renowned children’s author Ruth Rocha and featuring the vivid linocut illustration of Brazilian artist Otavio Roth, the book helps us all to understand better the importance of human rights. This book is available from www.amazon.com.
Citation: Rocha, R., & Roth, O. (1990). United Nation Publications $9.95
Teaching Human Rights.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because its thought-provoking collection of activities makes students aware of issues of justice and rights in the U.S. and around the world, encourages cross-cultural comparisons, and challenges students to define their own values and consider how they could contribute to a better world. Topics include hunger, homelessness, racial injustice, self-determination, and free elections, drawing on examples from the U.S., Chile, China, Kenya, South Africa, and the former Soviet Union. A variety of activities require research and writing, making the three-hole-punched lessons appropriate for an English as well as social studies curriculum. This book is suitable for 7th Grade and up students.
Citation: Shiman, D. Center for Teaching International Relations. (1999). University of Denver. $34.95.
Kisetsu (2000)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Kisetsu is a four-volume series of Japanese-language textbooks for junior high and high school students. It aims to help students become not only successful communication in Japanese but also self-directed learners, skillful problem-solvers, and cooperative and productive participants in the global community. It is compatible with the National Standards; the table of contents indicates which five goals of foreign language education — Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities are incorporated. Cultural topics to promote cross-cultural understanding are enhanced with hundreds of color photos. This review was originally written by the Association of Teachers of Japanese.
Citation: Tsuda, Kazuo., & Shimano, Masatoshi. Kisetsu Educational Group Haruichiban: The Way to Successful Japan (volume 1) $44.50
Las Madres: The Mothers of Plaza del Mayo. (1986) Directed by Lourdes Portillo. 64 minutes. $200
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it is a well-known and academy awarded and nominated documentary. It is about the Argentinean mothers movement to demand to know the fate of 30,000 disappeared sons and daughters remains as extraordinarily powerful as when it was first released. As well as giving an understanding of Argentinean history in the 70s and 80s, Las Madres shows the empowerment of women in a society where women are expected to be silent. Las Madres provides a banner of hope in the international struggle for human rights. This film may be ordered from http://www.lourdesportillo.com.
The Silent Shout. UNICEF. (1997). Produced by Michael Sporn. 10 minutes. $15.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it is designed to help children learn about landmines. The Silent Shout is an animated story that brings together four child characters all injured in some way by landmines. Interwoven throughout the story are messages about what mines do and how best to avoid them. The children are shown overcoming their injuries, including psychological trauma, reminding viewers what can be achieved through determination and the support of families and communities. This cartoon is great for Grade 1 to 6 kids. Teachers can order this film from UNICEF.
Religious Diversity and Human Rights.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because the essays in this work explore a variety of issues, including the applicability and pertinence of the language of human rights in nonwestern contexts; the ways in which relations between individuals and society have been understood over time in the context of several major religions; the relationship among religion, secularism, and religious tolerance; and religion and rights in the contemporary world. This book is available from Columbia University Press.
Review from Human Rights: A Reference Handbook
Citation: Bloom, I., Martin J. P., & Proudfoot, W. (Eds.) (1996). New York: Columbia University Press, $49.50.
Women Reshaping Human Rights: How Extraordinary Activists Are Changing the World.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides biographical sketches of women human rights activists from all over the world. Sixteen women are featured addressing authoritarian governments, struggling with race and ethnicity, seeking environmental justice, upholding women’s rights, and making the world safe for children. This book is available from www.amazon.com.
Review from Human Rights: A Reference Handbook
Citation: Bouvard, M. B. (1996). Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources, $18.95.
Revolutionizing Motherhood: The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it documents the work and stories of the Argentine Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo who protested the loss of their disappeared children during the military coup from 1976 to 1983. These women have created a model grassroots organization using pacifist means for political change. This book is available from www.amazon.com.
Review from Human Rights: A Reference Handbook Be aware of the fact that this deals with the former Argentina Juntos war against subversives and the attempt to bring murders to justice. Although dated, it provides an excellent study for secondary students.
Citation: Bouvard, M. G. (1994). Wilmington, DE: Scholarly Resources. $45.
Torture: Human Rights, Medical Ethics, and the Case of Israel.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this volume is a result of a public conference held in Israel. It addresses the nature of torture, the social response to torture in Israel, participation of health professionals in the practice of torture, the role of codes of medical ethics, and the legal struggle against torture. A large appendix of relevant documents and affidavits by prisoners is included. This book is available from www.bn.com.
Review from Human Rights: A Reference Handbook
Citation: Gordon, N, & Marton, R., in association with the Association of Israeli-Palestinian Physicians for Human Rights. (Eds.) (1995). Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Zed Books. $29.95.
Afghanistan through women’s eyes. (2001). Produced by Velcrow Ripper. 20 minutes. $85.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this video offers an intimate portrait of Afghanistan’s silenced women as we see the conflict and history in Afghanistan through their eyes. The film visits the secret schools, orphanages and clinics of RAWA, the Revolutionary Afghan Women Association, a feminist group that has been working both inside and outside Afghanistan for many years, struggling for women’s rights and human rights. Their revolution is through ideas, through education, and through health and they will not let their voices go unheard. Please be aware that this material is suitable for Grade 9 and up students. Teachers can order this film from www.videoproject.net.
Review from Ohio State University library
Against My Will. (2002). Directed by Ayfer Ergun. Produced by Humanist Broadcasting Foundation. 50 minutes. $75 (Rent) or $390 (Sale).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it documents Palestine womens struggles for seeking human rights.
It is a shocking documentary about the women who take control of their own lives, and risk being killed for it. Through Kubra’s story, and the stories of other women at Dastak, the film creates a portrait of one institution that is protecting Pakistani women, at least the women who can make it there. Please be aware that the content of this film is only suitable for adult students.
Review and available from First Run Icarus Films.
Children at Work. Directed by Sheila franklin. 1World Communication. $25.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it focuses on children labor in India. This video represents a substantial contribution to the movement to end child labor and sweat shop abuses. It includes valuable footage exposing the travesty of child labor and bonded labor in India. It should be a useful tool for educators and organizers alike. Teachers can order this material from 1World Communication.
Review from www.mediarights.org
Children of Abraham. (1999). Directed by Andrea Cohen. Indianola, WA: MidEast Citizen Diplomacy. 36 minutes.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it attempts to introduce Palestinian human rights issues to Jewish Americans in an emotional approach, where the “enemy” is humanized. The narrator ties scenes together in an intimate, observational style. Interviews are taped with political and religious leaders on both sides and the Jewish participants stay with Palestinian families and visit Jewish settlements. The film portrays understanding, tears, and emotional epiphanies from the Jewish participants and the Palestinians. The film also attempts to elicit emotional responses from the viewer as experienced through the filmed participants. Participants religions/cultures are portrayed as reasonable humans being sensitive to the other sides point-of-view, just trying to live in a homeland.
Review from University of Washington Libraries.
Children of the Camps. (1999). Directed by Satsuki Ina. 57 minutes. $225 for college/institution purchase.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it is a one-hour documentary that portrays the poignant stories of six men and women who were interned as children in US concentration camps during World War II. The film captures a three-day intensive group experience, during which the participants are guided by a trained therapist through a process that enables them to speak honestly about their experiences, often for the first time. The six participants openly share how their families were torn apart, the shame and humiliation they watched their parents endure, and the legacy passed on to them for how to survive in a world that had accused and ostracized them for no other reason than the color of their skin. Through the telling of their personal stories we witness an unfolding of the deeply traumatic nature of that early childhood experience. Teachers can order this film through http://www.naatanet.org.
Review from http://www.pbs.org/childofcamp/resources/index.html
Free Trade Slaves. (1999). Directed by Peter Breuls, Juan Salvat, & Stef Soetewey. 58 minutes.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it goes behind the scenes to illustrate how this economic practice abuses and exploits workers by depriving them of sufficient living wages, work unionization, or fair labor practices. In order to stay competitive, companies such as Nike, Liz Claiborne, Gap, and Fruit of the Loom make every effort to cut production costs, thereby severely limiting workers rights. Impoverished countries such as Mexico and El Salvador, who provide attractive economic incentives and plenty of cheap labor, promote the building of maquiladoras (factories) in poor rural areas, where unionization by workers is forcibly discouraged, medical benefits are unheard of, wages are not enough to move people out of poverty, and environmental hazards are seldom monitored. Foreign companies have governmental and economic clout and can bypass attempts to provide adequate work environs to employees. According to this documentary, consumer education is the only way to rein in such unfair work conditions and provide a way to better labor and economic practices worldwide.
Review from University of Washington Libraries.
Indonesia: Islands on Fire. (1996). Directed by maria Luisa Mendonca & medea Benjamin. 25 minutes. $25.00.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this gripping video documents appalling human rights abuses in Indonesia and East Timor. It highlights the courageous efforts of the opposition movement to bring democratic change to Indonesia and East Timor. The documentary also exposes how US companies–in particular Nike corporation — exploit Indonesian labor. Scenes inside the factory and inside a typical factory worker’s hovel are contrasted with towering skyscrapers and multinational businesses. The video is an excellent educational tool to inform and mobilize the public around the need to change US labor practices overseas. Please be aware that this video is available in English, Bahasa Indonesian, and Portuguese, with subtitles.
Review and available from http://store.globalexchange.org/resources.html
New world border. (2001). A Peek Media production. 28 minutes. $20.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it documents the rise in human rights abuses along the U.S./Mexico border since the implementation of border blockades (Operation Gatekeeper), which have been erected in populated areas throughout the border region during the last decade. It includes interviews with immigrant rights organizers, testimony from immigrants, analysis of “free trade” policies and current efforts to build a vibrant movement for immigrant rights. This material is available in English and Spanish with English subtitles. Teachers can order this film from www.globalexchange.org
Review from Ohio State University Library.
Operation Fine Girl: Rape Used as a Weapon of War in Sierra Leone. (2001). Directed by Lilibet Foster. Produced by Gillian Caldwell for Witness. 50 minutes.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Recommended as it is an intimate story about the tragic use of rape as a weapon of war told through the personal stories of three young girls who were abducted, taken to be “rebel wives,” sex slaves, domestic servants and combatants held for many years against their will; and one boy abducted to be a child combatant. WITNESS filmmakers worked with Binta Mansaray, traveling to war torn Sierra Leone to make the first and only documentary that reports extensively and exclusively on this hidden yet pervasive part of the war in Sierra Leone. “Operation Fine Girl” ultimately goes beyond the borders of Sierra Leone to offer a stark picture of how and why women and children are often the most victimized in wartime. Please be aware that this material is suitable for adult students. Teachers can order this film from www.witness.org.
Out of Silence: Fighting for Human Rights. (1992). Chicago: Chuck Olin Associates. Chuck Olin Associates. 60 minutes. $39.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this 60-minute documentary weaves together live footage, still photographs, key passages from documents, and presentations by human rights activists and former prisoners of conscience. The film uses the human rights situations in Czechoslovakia and Guatemala to highlight issues. It is both informative and moving, an excellent resource for use in secondary classrooms as a vehicle for conveying and raising human rights concerns. Subjects covered are the Universal Declaration, the impact of the Cold War, how the UN added formal covenants that gave the declaration legally binding force, and the role of national and international nongovernmental organizations. Please be aware that a teachers guide is included, and this film is suitable for Grade 10 and up students. Teachers can order this film from www.socialstudies.com
Sacrifice. (1998). Directed by Ellen Bruno. Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey: Film Library.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it examines the social, cultural, and economic forces at work in the trafficking of Burmese girls into prostitution in Thailand. It is the story of the valuation and sale of human beings, and the efforts of teenage girls to survive a personal crisis born of economic and political repression. Each year thousands of girls are recruited from rural Burmese villages to work in brothels in Thailand where they are held for years in debt bondage. The trafficking of Burmese girls is a direct result of political repression in Burma. Human rights abuses, war, and ethnic discrimination have displaced thousands of families leaving them with no means of livelihood. This material is available from www.brunofilms.com.
Review from Ohio State University.
Chechnya: Russia’s Human Rights’ Nightmare: Rights and Wrongs Series. (1999). Globalvision Inc. 30 minutes.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Recommended as it includes an update on the ongoing conflict in Russia’s Chechnya with comments from Sergei Kovalev, Russia’s former Commissioner of Human Rights, and Ludmilla Thorne, a human rights specialist at Freedom House in first segment. In second segment, it includes Thomas Goltz’s video diary about the village of Somashki in Chechnya and its efforts to defend itself from the Russian army’s assault. Finally, in third segment, it provides an exclusive interview with Fred Cuny, a disaster relief specialist and human rights activist who traveled to Chechnya in 1995 where he has been missing and is now presumed dead. This material is available from Chip Taylor Communications.
Review from the Media Resources Center of UC Berkeley Library.
Hopes on the Horizon. (2001). Directed by Wambu, Onyekachi. Berkeley, CA: University of California Extension Center for Media and Independent Learning. 115 minutes.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because as it is a film about Africas fight for freedom during the 1990s. It highlights successful protests and uprisings for human rights and democracy. The film is an excellent overview of the racial struggles and political unrest in Africa, capturing the feeling of both empowerment and frustration felt by its citizens. The film shows a struggle one country at time and how the citizens fought back against oppressive regimes and won many rights. The footage includes images of democratic protests in Benin and Nigeria, women fighting for personal autonomy in Morocco, a womens farm cooperative that revitalized the local economy in Mozambique, educational rights for the black majority in South Africa and the raw emotions and graphic images of death that occurred in the racial violence between the Hutus and Tutsis during Africas worst genocide in history, where over half a million people were murdered in Rwanda within 100 days. Please be aware that a discussion board about the videos is available on PBS, and the clips are also viewable on-line. Review from University of Washington Libraries.
North Korea – Shadows and Whispers. (1980). Produced by Kim Jung-Eun. 52 minutes. $75 (for rent). $275(for sale).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this documentary, filmed in the remote northeast mountains of China, captures the dire circumstances of these refugees, who must subsist furtively in primitive caves, under floorboards and in basements. If caught they will be sent back and put to death. Since 1995 two million North Koreans have starved to death from famine. Hundreds of thousands of others have illegally crossed the border to China in search of food. The stories are heart-rending. One family had to leave their five year old in an orphanage as he wailed “don’t leave me.” Orphaned and abandoned children live on the streets where they beg for food. Shadows and Whispers bring us up close to the human beings who become merely statistics on the evening news. With the recent rapprochement between North and South Korea, conditions will hopefully improve. Review and available from www.filmmakers.com
Sanamacha’s Story. (1999). The Witness.
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it documents a story about torture. Sanamacha’s Story chronicles the disappearance of a 15 year old boy, Sanamecha Yumlembam, in Manipur. The state of Manipur, in the highlands of Northeastern India, is one of eight states inhabited by 40 million people of Tibeto-Burman origin. Since the 1950’s, the region has produced several secessionist movements against the Indian government. In response, India has militarized the region. The Indian government restricts entry by foreign nationals, and bars international media and human rights observers from entering the northeast. On the night of February 12, 1998, the Indian military entered Sanamacha’s home and abducted him in front of dozens of witnesses. Sanamacha has not been seen since, nor has his body ever been recovered. The video documents the testimonies of witnesses and family members and provides insight into the advocacy work grassroots groups in Manipur have done to bring the military’s actions to justice. This video is available on www.witness.org.
Annual Editions: Global Issues 09/10. (2009).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because new editions each year contain collections of 30-40 up to date articles from scholars and the world press that examine the most important global issues facing the planet. The book has a world map, a glossary, a topic guide, and a list of related websites. This is one of many Annual Editions series. Others (see list on the Annual Editions website) are also relevant to specific issues as well as regional studies.
Citation: Jackson, Robert M. (editor). Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin. http://www.dushkin.com
The Gaia Peace Atlas: Survival into the Third Millennium. (1988).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides global perspectives on peace as more than just the absence of war. It provides analyses of the roots of peace and war by exploring human, nuclear, and environmental crises threatening humanity and our planet. The book provides research from international people and organizations/institutions on proposals for immediate and long-term sustainable peace. Exercise and exercise overviews center on (1) what is culture, (2) the building blocks of culture, (3) styles of communication, (4) culture in the workplace, and (5) the cross-cultural perspective. Chapter 2 contains exercises that explore the concept of self (individualist vs. collectivist), personal vs. societal responsibility (universalist vs. particularist), the concept of time (monochronic vs. polychronic), and locus of control (internal vs. external). The ‘Dialogues’ exercise contains four brief cross-cultural dialogues (with seemingly missing exchanges) where students have to figure out the cross-cultural meanings/misunderstandings in the dialogues.
Citation: Barnaby, Frank (editor). New York: Doubleday. http://www.randomhouse.com/doubleday
Global Perspectives: A Handbook for Understanding Global Issues. (1999).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides a multidisciplinary approach to explaining general global vocabulary, issues, and trends (i.e., cultural diversity, economic development, the natural environment, and international peace and violence). The book provides case study analyses of the global issues and trends explored in the book. Chapter titles are (1) Introduction to the Modern World, (2) Ethnicity and Global Diversity, (3) Perspectives on Ethnicity and Global Diversity, (4) Economic Development, (5) Perspectives on Economic Development, (6) Human Ecological Sustainability, (7) Perspectives on Human Ecological Sustainability, (8) Peace and War, and (9) Perspectives on Peace and War.
Citation: Kelleher, Ann, & Klein, Laura. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
On Prejudice: A Global Perspective. (1993).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it presents the works of acclaimed writers who analyze, explore, and discuss the pervasiveness of prejudice throughout human history (i.e., slavery, the Holocaust, apartheid, ethnic conflict in Europe and Africa, etc.). The book is divided into three sections: Section 1 uses essays to introduce readers to the values of prejudice, Section 2 explores prejudice through intercultural fiction and poetry, and Section 3 offers written works that explore hope, reconciliation, commonality, and peace. The book also provides (1) brief bibliographical biographies of contributors, (2) an appendix of selected human rights declarations and statements on race, and (3) a resource list of organizations that promote global understanding and the eradication of prejudice worldwide.
Citation: Gioseffi, Daniela. New York: Anchor Books/Doubleday.
Student Atlas of World Politics, 5th edition. (2002).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it explores recent developments geopolitics and international relations through maps and data tables. The book contains maps of (1) the contemporary world, (2) states: alliances and conflicts, (3) the global economy, (4) population and human development, (5) food, energy, and materials, (6) environmental conditions, and (7) regions of the world. The book also contains data tables on world countries and a geographic index.
Citation: Allen, John L. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin. http://www.dushkin.com
Stolen Dreams: Portraits of Working Children. (1998).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it documents the lives of working children in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mexico, and the United States. The book explores (1) why children work, (2) where children work, and (3) what can be done about the problems and issues associated with child labor. Here’s a quote from Doi, a 13 year old factory worker in Bangkok, Thailand: “My father died and my mother just didn’t have enough money to feed all my brothers and sisters, so that’s why I came to work. What I really miss is games. We don’t have any time to play football or anything like that. I don’t understand why we can’t have some time in the evening to play. I suppose it’s because there’s so much work to do.”
Citation: Parker, David L. with Engfer, Lee, & Conrow, Robert. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications.
Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh. (1993).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it explores environmental, social, and psychological problems associated with our push for ‘progress’ and ‘development through an examination of the breakdown of Ladakh’s culture and environment (ecological balance and social harmony) because of ‘modernization’. The film is based on the Helena Norberg-Hodge (founder of ISEC) and Peter Matthiessen book of the same name.
Arms for the Poor. (1998).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Arms for the Poor illustrates how the U.S. government and arms exporters affect lives of people in other countries through the arms trade. Since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. has doubled its arms sales; the U.S. sells more weaponry abroad than all other 52 arms exporters combined; 80% of U.S. arms sales go to repressive, non-democratic governments. Activists and experts interviewed link U.S. arms sales to the maintenance of global inequality.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (1988).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this is the music video for the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Short psychedelic cartoons illustrate each of the Declaration’s 30 articles. They are mostly clever and amusing. For example, the segment for Article 12, which includes guarantees against arbitrary interference with correspondence, features a letter ripped out of an envelope and attacked by an army of needles poking and shredding. The entire series of short cartoons almost all of which are 30 seconds or less would make an excellent prompt for students to complete their own illustrations of these and any other rights they believe should be universal. Students could also be divided into small groups to perform improvisations based on the Universal Declaration or to create pantomimes and perform them as in a game of charades, with other students guessing which article is being acted out.
Review from Rethinking Schools/Rethinking Globalization Resources Page, 07/2002.
Learning to Divide the World: Education at Empire’s End. (1998).
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it examines the historical and educational legacy of imperialism/colonialism. The author explores how the enduring geographic, racial, and cultural categories created by European colonialists continue to ‘divide the world’ into black and white, east and west, and primitive and civilized.
Citation: Willinsky, John. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Sacred Earth (1996, color, 54 minutes) (Human Rights)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because directed by Mary Ellen Davis, the film reveals the plight of landless peasants in Guatemala, where property ownership is restricted to a small percentage of the nation’s wealthiest citizens. Most peasants, including the indigenous Indian peoples, own no land, and are brutally exploited by agricultural developers. During the last few decades, the Guatemalan army has massacred thousands of peasants, forcing thousands of others to become refugees. While protesting these injustices and human rights violations, Guatemala’s dispossessed peoples are also shown continuing to celebrate life through their music, dance and religious ceremonies. LANIC.
School of the Americas: An Insider Speaks Out (1998, 16 minutes) (Human Rights) (Economics & Development)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because narrated by Major Joseph Blair, US Army, this film is a production of Veterans for Peace. For the first time, an insider speaks about the School of the Americas. A twenty-year veteran with two tours of duty in Vietnam believes that the SOA should be “torn down like the Berlin Wall.” Blair states that the SOA no longer serves democratic ends and is a training ground for oppression. “We routinely had students who were known human rights abusers, and it didn’t make a difference to us,” recounts Major Blair in this compelling video. Kansas.
Chicano! History of the Mexican-American Civil Rights Movement (1996) (Human Rights)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this four-part series (60 minutes) covers the United Farm Workers Union and Cesar Chavez. Kansas.
Human Rights Education
Posted by: admin on Tuesday, January 19, 2010Recommended because it is an organization guided by Amnesty International and facilitates teaching human rights and supports teachers of kindergarten through college as well as educators working in non-formal settings such as community associations and cultural forums. Topics and materials included in this site are summary of several useful teaching guides and seven lesson plans about death penalty, refugee, slavery, rights to marry, freedom of religion, etc. Each of the lessons includes materials, teaching procedures, activities, homework, and relevant resources. Be aware of other information about human rights issues such as prisoners, gay and lesbian, religion as well as reports, news, and maps of some countries. These are available in the site of Amnesty USA by clicking issues
Business and Human Rights Resource Center (Minnesota)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Business and Human Rights Resource Center functions as an detailed resource center and on-line library in promoting greater awareness of business and human rights issues around the world. Topics and materials included in this site are information from over 200 other sites (through links) such as business ethics organizations, business organizations, business schools, companies, corporate responsibility organizations, environmental NGOs, etc., and discussion of important policy issues, such as workplace health & safety, sexual harassment in the workplace, age discrimination in the workplace, child labor, the private sector & education, etc. Start by daily highlights for daily and weekly updates for the most updated information about business and human rights . Be aware of information and materials which are cross-category searchable. It allows users to locate particular issues across countries/regions.
Chin Human Rights Organization
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this organization, founded in 1995 by a group of Chin activists, monitors and promotes the human rights situation of Chin people, who face human rights violations and lose their culture, literature, customs, and traditions under Burma’s military regime. This is a wonderful site for those people interested in human rights violation in Chinland and cultural aspects of Chin people. Topics and materials included in this site are history, photos (including Chinland and people), and music of Chin people. News, articles, press release about Chin refugees, forced labor, abuse again women, religious persecutions are also available in this site. For more information about Chin and Burma, please click on links. Start by facts and arguments for basic information about Chin and Burma.
URL: http://www.chro.org/
Derechos Human Rights (Berkeley)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides a Spanish-friendly database and useful links with a main focus on human rights issues in Latin America, along with those in other regions and countries. As the word Derechos means rights in Spanish, the international organization, based both in the U.S. and Argentina, cooperates with its sister organization Equipo Nizkor (Derechos Representative in Spain). Topics and materials included in this site are death penalty, economic rights and war in Iraq (in Spanish). Other issues such as corruption, the disappeared, freedom of speech, impunity, international criminal court, terrorism & anti-terrorism, etc. are also included. Start by the links under information to sort out your interest by regions/countries or by issues/topics, and what we do , which will inform the user of the action orientation of this NGO. Be aware of the world map for searching information on specific countries after entering the page of countries.
Project Disappeared
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides the memory, truth and justice of the disappeared and the victims of State terrorism in Latin America and the world. Topics and materials included in this Argentina-based web site are lists of the disappeared, lists of the victims of the military dictatorship, human rights reports, and lists of State torturers/killers/repressors in countries including Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Turkey, Uruguay, Western Sahara, Iraq and former-Yugoslavia. Start by clicking the country list on the lower right corner of its home page. Be aware of the language issue that some of the web links and documents provided by this site are in Spanish only.
Global Exchange (Duke)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Global Exchange, as an international human rights organization created in 1989, discusses economic rights worldwide and human rights (especially the political, social and environmental justice) in eight countries, including the United States, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, New Mexico, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan. Topics and materials included in this site are detailed elaboration on the current major problems of each issues and possible solutions regarding human rights in these eight countries. Economic issues include FTAA, WTO, Oil and Autos, Fair Trade, Green Festivals, Sweatshops (e.g. campaigns against Nike, Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic), and World Bank and IMF (International Monetary Fund). Start by the Background of each issue or country, which will give you a clear introduction and useful facts and figures for each topic or campaign. Be aware of the useful product information about books, films and audio recordings related to economic rights and human rights issues of these eight countries in Global Exchange Store with detailed summary and explanation.
Human Rights Education Associates (Duke)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because HREA is an international non-governmental organization that supports human rights learning with a wonderful database for human rights education. Topics and materials included in this site are divided into two centers: Learning center introduces learners a number of human rights courses, tutorials (with a combination of readings and multiple choice questions) and study guides, covering issues such as The Rights of Refugees and Displaced Persons, Protecting Human Rights in Europe, The Rights of Prisoners, Women’s Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, Food and Water, History of Human Rights; Resource Center provides teachers with supporting materials such as curriculum, lesson plans, teacher’s guide, and manuals from primary level students to higher education. There is also a distance learning component as well as interactive tutorials. Start by library and click on Teachers or choose appropriate educational level from Formal Education for useful teaching materials. Be aware of the fact that all of the materials are available on-line and free of charge, and this site is useful for secondary and college level students.
URL: http://www.hrea.org/
New York Times Daily Lesson Plan Human Rights
Posted by: admin onRecommended because New York Times Daily Lesson Plan is a highly convenient and useful web resource for teachers to teach Grade 6-12 kids about human rights. Topics and materials included in this site are human rights news stories, course overview, objectives, resources/materials, teaching activities/procedures, questions for discussion, evaluation/assessment, extension activities, and other supplemental information on the web. Current topics of the lesson plans include Religious Freedom Around the World, Indigenous Peoples, American Imperialism Abroad, Ethnic Cleansing, Apartheid in South Africa, Modern Slave Trade, Famines and Hunger, Child Homelessness, Doctors Without Borders, etc. Start by lesson plan archives. Be aware of the valuable characteristic of the site that teachers can easily follow the instructions to prepare the materials and carry out the lesson plans with the up-to-date and real-life event articles.
Universal Rights Network
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this site provides a great source of human rights stories which teachers can use as case studies. Topics and materials included in this site are human rights stories of regular people and heroes such as Mother Teresa, Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi, etc., human rights history, news, and links. It also offers teachers ideas of student activities (discussion, research project, and writing exercises, etc.) to teach issues as rights of children, women, indigenous people, human rights heroes, and protection of environment. Be aware of the characteristic of stories which are searchable across countries and categorized by issues such as freedom, justice, peace, livelihood, and poverty, etc. Under each issue, facts and explanation are also provided by clicking ‘facts about’ below the topic heading or above the stories.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this museum, located in Washington, DC, provides comprehensive history, database, photos, stories, and maps about Nazi holocaust. Topics and materials included in this site are resources for teachers (on-line workshop, exemplary lessons, and resource book) and students (on-line activities, encyclopedia, and learning site) discussing holocaust. In addition to Jewish, this site also covers holocaust history of other groups such as Roma (Gypsies), the handicapped, Slavic people (Poles, Russians, and others), Communists, Socialists, Jehovah’s witnesses, and homosexuals. Be aware of the useful information that through learning center, other issues related to holocaust such as refugees, Nazi camps, forced labors, Mosaic victims, Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing units), rescue, and war crime trials, etc. are also included.
Women’s Human Rights net
Posted by: admin onRecommended because WHRnet aims to provide reliable, comprehensive, and timely information and analyses on a variety of human rights issues related to women. Topics and materials included in this site are Women and Media, Women and AIDS, Women and Freedom of Expression, Migrant Sex Workers, Violence against Women, Sexual and Reproductive Rights, Migrant Women, Women Facing Globalization, War and Armed Conflicts on Women, etc. A wide collection of useful web links to women-related NGOs, Women’s Human Rights Resources, Women’s Studies/Gender Studies, and General Gender Resources is also provided by the site. Start by its Archive, within which are the latest issues, perspectives and interviews with regard to women’s human rights to find out some background introduction and overview as well as quick facts and figures for each topic. Be aware of the site’s Spanish and French language versions.
Witness
Posted by: admin onRecommended because Witness is a non-profit organization which promotes human rights through video cameras and human rights film production. Topics and materials included in this site are various human rights videos across six regions (Africa, Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia, U.S.A.). Shot by local human rights defenders from nearly 50 countries, these films feature first-hand testimonies, interviews and imagery of rights violations and conflict areas around the world. It also includes training opportunities for human rights video production, human rights news and links. Be aware of the fact that some of the videos are viewable on-line by clicking video and choosing film thumbnails under Rights Alert. To watch the video on-line requires supporting software such as Quick Time or Real Player, which may be downloaded on-line.
United Nations Cyberschool Bus — Human Rights in Action
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it features an interactive and interesting human rights teaching and learning center because materials provided in this site are easily adapted in classrooms and understandable for elementary students. Topics and materials included in this site are interactive Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child with both plain language and original versions, human rights fact sheets, vocabulary, links, letter writing tips, and bibliography. In addition, Questions and Answers about human rights help students learn knowledge about Universal Declaration of Human Rights; stories of students and teachers around the world make readers and students visualize people’s living experiences in different countries. Be aware of the fact that this site is for students from Grade 5 to 7.
Human Rights Library (Minnesota)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because University of Minnesota Human Rights Library serves as an on-line human rights education database. Topics and materials included in this site are links related to human rights, including organizations, web sites, documents and publications, as well as regional development of human rights and special topics of interest such as business and human rights, internet/computer and human rights, religious freedom and human rights. Start by Curricula and Other Human Right Teaching Materials, in which a list of links offering lesson plans, statistics and teaching guides are provided. Be aware of its homepage serving as a resource center that can satisfy different users with various concerns on human right issues. This site, in addition, offers three other language versionsFrench, Spanish and Russian.
The Afghan Women’s Mission
Posted by: admin onRecommended because AWM, an organization working closely with RAWA, provides important information, images, facts, and figures regarding the human rights of Afghan refugees, especially the women and children. Topics and materials included in this site are slide shows, videos, interviews/stories, and speeches provided in the Media Center and Archive sections, depicting the refugees’ need for health care to serve primarily Afghan women and children, as well as their need for education and empowerment to alleviate emotional suffering and decrease illiteracy and joblessness and to help Afghan women build sustainable livelihoods. Start by background section to understand more about the life of the women and children and human rights and related issues in Afghanistan and Afghan refugee camps.
European Roma Rights Center (Duke)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because ERRC, an international public interest law organization, monitors the human rights situation of Roma (Gypsies) in Europe, and publishes information on human rights abuse of Roma in various countries. Topics and materials included in this site are indices (listed by country/region and themes), advocacy letters and press releases, Roma Rights Quarterly (some are on-line audio files), fact sheets (short summaries on the situation of Roma by countries and themes), country reports (downloadable reports categorized by country), etc. Start by indices to explore issues including Roma’s situations in asylum and forced migration, education, holocaust, housing, political rights, political participation, racially motivated violence, social and economic rights, discrimination, police brutality, employment, legislation and justice system. Also, click resources and European Court of Human Rights Roma Cases database for more information.
URL: http://errc.org/
AfricaFiles (Columbia)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this site, worked by a network of people committed to Africa through its promotion of human rights, economic justice, African perspectives and alternative analyses, offers up-to-date reports on African events, issues and people, drawn from a variety of sources, including AfricaNews, All Africa News Agency, IRIN, SARDC, allafrica.com, etc. Topics and materials included in this site are Africa InfoServ which provides articles and reports of current development on African events and issues such as AIDS, Ecology, Economic Justice, Gender, Human Rights, Interfaith Relations, NEPAD, Resource Extraction, Youth & Children; At Issue Forum which allows readers to response to and discuss issues brought up in various articles written by AfricaFiles editors, members and other analysts. It also features useful Links to NGOs, churches, government agencies, international institutions as well as other groups with a role or interest in Africa.
B’Tselem-The Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it strives to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel (‘B’Tselem’ in Hebrew literally means “in the image of,” and is also used as a synonym for human dignity). Topics and materials included in this site are Statistics (e.g. Fatalities, House Demolitions, Prisoners and Detainees, Injuries, Freedom of Movement, Curfew in Palestinian villages, Death and Injury from Exploding Munitions’ Remnants, Deportation, Family Separation, Safe Passage) and Testimonies (from victims of sexual harassment, human shields, abuse, beating, harsh living condition, confiscation of identity cards, etc.). Be aware of the fact that this Jerusalem-based site provides English and Hebrew versions at the same time.
Project Underground (Minnesota)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this organization exists as a vehicle for the environmental, human rights and indigenous rights movements to carry out focused campaigns against abusive extractive resource activity. Although with a focus on campaigns in Africa, this site also touches those issues in other parts of the world. Topic and materials included in this site are news and reports of problems created by the mining and oil companies such as Shell in Nigeria, information about oil, mining, and indigenous mining campaigns, and resources and links which address on human and economic rights violations as well as environment emergency caused by mineral industries. Be aware of some of the reports with comics, photos, and stories such as The Gold Album: Action Pack and Newmonster: The Story of One Gold Mining Company and the Struggle to Stop. These materials can be used in classroom as teaching materials, and these materials are also downloadable on-line.
Palestinian Center for Human Rights
Posted by: admin onRecommended because PCHR, a recipient of the 1996 French Republic Award for Human Rights, aims at enabling the Palestinian people to exercise its inalienable rights in accordance with international law and UN resolutions through documentation and investigation of human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Topics and materials included in this site are Statistics, Fact Sheets, Documents, Library and Images with regard to the human rights themes in Settlements and Apartheid, Killings, Siege and Closure, Crimes Against Housing and Agriculture, Arrests, Imprisonment and Torture, Violations of the Rights to Health Care, Poverty and Unemployment, Destruction of land and property, etc. Start by Statistics and Fact Sheets to gather background information and figures of various issues. Be aware of a large number of vivid photos of Palestinians in OPT which can be found in the Images section.
Women’s Net (Duke)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this site provides a vibrant and innovative networking support program designed to enable South African women to use the Internet to find the people, issues, resources and tools needed for women’s social activism. Topics and materials included in this site are news, documents, facts about issues in HIV/AIDS, Women and Human Rights, Violence Against Women, Gender in Parliament, Women’s Health, Women and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Women and Enterprise. Start by clicking each issue you will be connected to another sub-page full of introduction, educational materials on women’s right. For example, check out the Know Your Rights section in Women and Human Rights category, you’ll find out more about Women’s human rights in Education, Disabilities, Housing/Land/Property, Marriage, Refugees, Reproductive and Sexual Health, Sexual Orientation, Work, and Custom/Tradition/Religion. Besides, be sure to click on breaking news for up to date Afghanistan news.
Arab Social Science Research (Texas)
Posted by: admin onRecommended because of its vast web resources and information on the Arab World. Topics and materials include AISC Centers, Arab Portals, Arab Search Engines, Foundations, Government Information, Libraries, Regional & International Organizations, News/Media, NGOs, Online Books, Online Courses, Online Journals, Reference Works, Research Centers, and Universities. An excellence resource for information about NGO’s in the Middle East, an interesting topic related to International Relations and intercultural exchange in general. Start by reading the courses, which include references, and provide good ideas for discussion topics.
URL: http://www.assr.org/
Resource Center of the Americas
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it seeks to promote human rights through the teaching and learning about peoples and countries of the Americas. The site provides historical, social, cultural, and political information, links, and resources on the Americas. The bookstore and catalog list publications and online ordering information. Start by looking at the current news links.
Rainforest Action Network
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it links provides information on protecting tropical rainforests and human rights of the people who live in and around the rainforests. The site links to an Action Center, information on rainforests, resources for teachers and students and RainForestWeb.org with links to rainforest issues, topics, and regions in North and Central America, South America, and Brazil. Start by For Teachers & Students and Kids Corner sections.
URL: http://www.ran.org/
Global Learning On-Line
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides links to information, activities, and resources for educators interested in teaching about global issues.
The Globalization Website
Posted by: admin onRecommended because because it is a megasiteof globalization resources. The site was created and is maintained by the Sociology Department at Emory University and used in their globally oriented courses. The site links to organizations, books, people, issues, theories, and a glossary. The site also links to other megasites, data sources, non-English sites (German, French, and Spanish).
New Society Publishers
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it publishes books on building an ecologically sustainable and just society. In association with Pippin Publishing, it distributes In the Global Classroom 1 & 2 by Graham Pike and David Selby.
UNICEF The State of the World’s Children
Posted by: admin onRecommended because of its many resources on the world’s children, their issues and lives. See reports on the state of the world’s children along with many other publications, information by country and other topics.
Outreach World
Posted by: admin onRecommended because of its resources on the Middle East and Africa. Here you’ll find news about various outreach activities currently taking place as well as upcoming workshops, conferences and professional development opportunities offered locally, regionally, nationally and overseas. Start by clicking on Resources to search for units, lessons and instructional aids by global region, country, subject, grade level, etc.
The Prophet and the people who opposed him
Posted by: admin onRecommended because it provides a different perspective on the nature of tolerance within Islam. Alam Payind’s comments: “The contents of this article are accepted by both Muslim scholars
and Muslim lay persons. This is a known fact that Muslims of the
medieval ages were much more tolerant and forgiving than the current
extremist and radical Muslims are. Luckily, these extremist groups,
though very much vocal and destructive, are minorities in each Muslim
majority country. This is the fact that rarely makes the news.” Alam Payind is the director of the Middle East Studies Center at The Ohio State University.
Amnesty International
Posted by: admin onRecommended because this human rights organization provides rich resources on such topics as freeing prisoners of conscience, ensuring prompt and fair trials for political prisoners, abolishing the death penalty, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. See the current Campaigns and topics such as Arms Control, Stop Torture, Death Penalty, Refugees’ Rights, International Justice, Economic Globalization and Human Rights, Child Soldiers, Human Rights Education. Be aware of images and descriptions of torture. This site may be useful in teaching global issues related to slavery, indigenous peoples, refugees, and women rights.