Anthropology 4415/6415 Anthropology and Human Rights

Tuesdays 5:30-8:30
322 Manning Hall
Spring 2013
Dr. Katherine Lambert-Pennington
Office: 302 B Manning Hall
Phone 678-3328
Email: almbrtpn@memphis.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment
COURSE OVERVIEW
The tension between respect for local cultures and "universal rights" is a pressing concern within
human rights activism. In the past decade, anthropologists have been increasingly involved in these
discussions, which have often involved situating their understandings of cultural relativism within a
broader framework of social justice. This course is framed by four ways of thinking about the
relationship between culture and rights culture versus rights, right to culture, rights as culture, and
culture as analytic to rights.
Readings in this course will allow students to explore the contributions of anthropology to the
theoretical and practical concerns of human rights work. The term begins by reading a number of key
human rights documents and articles on the progression of human rights debates and thinking within
the discipline of anthropology, particularly around the concepts of relativism and culture. Students
will then be asked to relate their understandings of human rights to the historical and cultural
dimensions of a theme womens rights, health and human rights, and Indigenous rights. Each
theme will be explored through a series of case studies. We will address such questions as the nature
of humanity, historical conceptions of the individual, colonialism and imperialism, the limits of
relativism, and the relationship between human rights in theory and in practice.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. You may have one unexcused absence without penalty, but
you will lose 2 points on your final grade for every unexcused absence thereafter. You must also be
on time for class. If you are more than 5 minutes late, you will be recorded as late. Three late
notations equal one absence. Please keep the instructor informed if you have an emergency during
the semester that will require you to be late or miss a class.
Discussion: This class is discussion-based and the success of our discussions depends on all of us.
Regular attendance and engagement with the class materials is essential.
Discussion Etiquette: You are not expected to always agree with the readings, lectures, films, or
ideas of your colleagues. However, students are expected to be courteous and respectful of one
another. We should listen to what is being said rather than who is saying it. Responses should not be
personalized, and differences in opinion are not to be taken personally. Remember that we will be
talking about ideas and learning from one another. Students should take notes on class discussions;
these discussions are likely to appear on exams.
Assignments: The assignments in this course are designed to prompt students to critically think
through and process course materials, facilitate class discussion, expand students knowledge of
human rights and anthropology beyond what is taught in the classroom, and appeal to a wide range of
learning styles. Since this is a blended graduate/undergraduate course, the reading and written
assignments will be slightly different for the two groups. The initials GS= Graduate and UG =

Undergraduate Students are denoted on the syllabus to indicate which students it applies to.
Assignments include: weekly reading responses (All), exams (UG), presentations (All), thematic
essays (GS) and a research paper (GS).
READINGS
Readings for this course come from a combination of texts, book chapters, and journal articles.
Students can expect to read between 70-125 pages (UGs closer to 70; HS/GS closer to 125) each
week. Students are expected to have completed all required readings prior to coming to class on the
day they are assigned on the syllabus. Recommended readings are assigned to provide students
additional background and contextual information on a given issue and will often inform in-class
lectures. The syllabus includes a reading schedule.
Required Texts (available at the University of Memphis Campus Bookstore & Tiger
Bookstore):
o Merry, Human Rights and Gender Violence: Translating International Law into Local
Justice. University of Chicago Press, 2006
o Paul Farmer, Pathologies of Power: Health, Human Right and the New War on the
Poor. University of California Press, 2003.
Other required & recommended readings
o Book chapters, articles, and UNHCR documents, and web-based resources are
available electronically on E-courseware.
Films: Some of the films we will view are rentable, while others are not. Consequently, there is no
guarantee that films will be available to students outside of class. Some of the films may be rated R
and, given the subject of this course, contain sensitive content. Exams and writing assignments will
be based in part on films seen in class. It is the students responsibility to attend class and understand
the content of the films. All films listed on the course schedule are tentative; specific titles and
viewing dates are subject to change.
Guest Speakers: Over the course of the semester we will have the privilege of hosting guest
speakers who will share their insights and experiences in the human rights arena. It is the students
responsibility to attend class (be on time), take notes, and engage in a respectful exchange with our
guests.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS
ALL Students Reading Responses and Discussion Board
To facilitate our discussions, students are required to prepare a response to the readings and
discussion questions for each class in which readings are assigned. Your responses should summarize
and critique key arguments in the weeks readings, and pose two questions related to the reading that
would help generate class discussion. You are encouraged to discuss some or all of the following
points as they relate to each weeks readings.
o Contexts what cultural, social, political factors/ideas inform a particular human rights
issue/theme/case study?
o Actors & Actions who is doing what? Governments, community groups, NGOs, UN, etc.
How do they relate to each other (or not)?
o Instruments & Interpretation What HR instruments are involved? What aspects of those
instruments are being drawn on? How are they interpreted and by whom?

o Enforcement & Intervention How are human rights being enforced? How have human
rights actors intervened?
o Change, Resolution, & Impact What changes, resolutions, and impact are emerging from
enforcement and intervention efforts?
o Anthropology & Anthropologists roles what is the role of anthropology and
anthropologists?
NOTE: Strong reading responses & questions put a given weeks readings in conversation with
past readings and/or other course material.
Each student should turn in weekly reading responses 7 times during the course of the semester (Jan
29th and then 6 other times that you will sign up for). Reading responses should be 1.5-2 single
spaced pages (approx. 700-800 words). You should post your 2 questions on the E-Courseware
Discussion Board. Weekly reading responses should be submitted via E-courseware dropbox by 2
pm on Mondays) and questions should be posted on the E-courseware discussion board by 2 pm on
Mondays. Before class, all students should take the time to review and comment on other students
questions on the E-courseware discussion board.
Each response is worth 50 points (350 total points for the semester). 10 points will automatically be
deducted from late submissions.
UG - Take-home Exams
There will be 2 take home exams. Exam questions will be handed out in class and students will have
1 week to complete and submit their answers (Each exam is worth 200 points). Due dates for take
home exams are March 28th and April 30th. I WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE EXAMS
UG - NGO Case Study Presentations Students will choose an NGO that does work in one of the
foci of the course (womens rights, health and human rights, or Indigenous rights). Students will
research the NGO using online resources, academic literature, and/or talking with someone at the
organization and formally report back to the class. Presentations can be in any format you choose,
but Presentations should last 10 minutes. You are required to turn in an annotated presentation
bibliography. This assignment is worth 200 points (100 for presentation; 100 for annotated
bibliography). UG NGO presentations will occur on February 26th, March 26th, and April 23rd.
Additional instructions will be provided in class.
GS - Thematic Essays In lieu of exams, there will be 3 short papers assigned throughout the
semester (6-7 pgs. each). At least one week prior to each due date, you will be given a question or
series of questions to address in your essay. Essays should clearly draw on material presented in
lecture, films, readings, and during class discussions. Thematic Essays are due via E-Courseware
dropbox on Thursdays by 12 pm. Each essay is worth 150 points (450 total for the semester). I WILL
NOT ACCEPT LATE PAPERS.
GS - Research Paper & Presentation
Students will choose a research topic that focuses on some aspect of one of the themes that we are
covering in this course womens rights, health and human rights, and indigenous rights. Students
can tailor their research topic to their particular interests, but students must discuss their chosen paper
topic with Dr. L-P (see below). After researching the topic, students will write and submit a15-page
research paper on the chosen topic.
o Set-up a time to meet with Dr. L-P and discuss your specific paper topic before February 12th.
o A 3-sentence description of your paper will be due in class on February 19th.
o An outline of your paper and 5 annotated citations are due in class on April 2nd.

o Paper is due on May 2nd by 12 pm.

o Make presentation to class May 7th during the scheduled final exam period.
Papers should be written in 12-point font, with 1-inch margins. Please use parenthetical citations in
the text and follow the citation style of American Anthropologist (a slight derivation on the Chicago
Manual of Style). See http://www.aaanet.org/publications/guidelines.cfm for AAA Style Guide.
Research Paper and Presentation is worth 200 points (150 for paper; 50 for presentation). I WILL
NOT ACCEPT LATE PAPERS.
GRADING - UG
Assignments
Weekly Reading Responses
Exams
#1
#2
NGO Presentation & Biblio
Total Points
GRADING - GS
Assignments
Weekly Reading Responses
Thematic Essay
Research Paper & Present
Total Points

Point breakdown
50 points each week
200
250
200

Point breakdown
50 points each week
150
200

Total Pts.
350
450
200
1000

Total Pts.
350
450
200
1000

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
1. It is the students responsibility to read and understand the syllabus. Special circumstances
may require modifications in the syllabus and in the assignments. If this occurs, advance
notice will be given in class and these changes will become part of the syllabus.
2. Students are required to have a University of Memphis email account and access to ECourseware and to check both daily for communication regarding course content. All
emails from me to you will use the University of Memphis system and E-Courseware. If
you use a different email system, be sure to forward your U of M account to that other
address. Do not email me through E-Courseware; make sure you send your communication
directly to almbrtpn@memphis.edu
3. Students are expected to attend class regularly and complete all assignments. Success in
this class requires consistent attendance, regular class participation, and keeping up on all
reading and work assignments.
4. Emailing and text messaging are very distracting during class and are strictly forbidden in
the classroom. Phones are to be turned off or set to silent and put away during class.
5. Late assignments will only be permitted for medical reasons, family emergencies or official
University business. Written documentation is required.

6. Excused absences for religious holidays and other events must be cleared with the instructor
in advance.
7. Whenever you use another persons words or ideas you must properly cite them. Word for
word copying of another persons words without proper attribution is known as plagiarism
and is a serious form of academic dishonesty. Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will not
be tolerated. Students engaging in academic dishonesty of any kind will automatically
receive an F in this course and be referred to Judicial Affairs. Refer to the University of
Memphis Office of Judicial and Ethical Programs for its policy on academic misconduct:
http://saweb.memphis.edu/judicialaffairs/dishonesty/definitions.htm.
Students with Disabilities
The University encourages the full participation of students with disabilities. Students with
disabilities are invited to meet individually with the instructor to discuss any accommodations that
may be needed for successful participation in this course.
Inclement Weather
In the event that inclement weather requires the cancellation of classes at the University of Memphis,
local radio and television media will be immediately notified. Additionally, the University of
Memphis has established an inclement Weather Hotline at 678-0888.

READING SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK 1 January 22 Introduction to Course
Culture and Rights
WEEK 2 January 29 Anthropology, Culture and Human Rights
Questions: What are human rights? History of UDHR, Whats in the UDHR? What is the
relationship between culture and rights?
ALL READ:
o Review Key Human Rights documents (links on E-courseware)
Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966
o American Anthropological Association. 1947. Statement on Human Rights. American
Anthropologist 49 (4): 539-43.
o Steward, Julian. 1948. Comments on the Statement on Human Rights. American
Anthropologist 50: 351-2.
o American Anthropology Association statement on Human Rights
http://www.aaanet.org/about/Policies/statements/Declaration-on-Anthropology-and-HumanRights.cfm
o Barnett, H.G. 1948. On Science and Human Rights. American Anthropologist 50: 352-5.
o Goodall, Mark. 2009, Chapter 2 & 3, Becoming Irrelevant & Encountering Relativism in
Surrendering to Utopia, pgs. 18-64.

o Cowan, Jane. 2006. Culture and Rights after Culture and Rights, American Anthropologist
108(1): 9-24.
o Messer, Ellen. 2009. Anthropology, Human Rights, and Social Transformation in Human
Rights an Anthropological Reader, pgs.103-133.
WEEK 3 February 5th Human Rights Actors & Practices
Questions: How do Anthropologists understand and study rights?
ALL READ:
o Merry, Human Rights and Gender Violence. Chapts. 1-2.
o Preis, Ann Belinda (1996). Human Rights as Cultural Practice: An Anthropological Critique.
Human Rights Quarterly, 18:286-315.
o Speed, Shannon, At the Crossroads of Human Rights and Anthropology: Toward a Critically
Engaged Activist Research American Anthropologist 108(1): 66-76.
o Turner, Terry et.al, 2007. Anthropology and Human Rights: Do Anthropologists Have an
Ethnical Obligation to Promote Human Rights? An Open Exchange, in Human Rights and
Anthropological Reader, pgs.198-205.
o Goodall, Mark. 2009, Chapter 6, Rights Unbound in Surrendering to Utopia, pgs.111-127.
o Eriksen, Thomas H. 2007. Between Universalism and Relativism: a critique of the UNESCO
concept of Culture, in Human Rights and Anthropological Reader, pgs. 356-371.
o Fox, Jonathan. 2002. Transnational Civil Society Campaigns and the World Bank Inspection
Panel, Chapter 9 in Globalization and Human Rights.

Womens Rights
WEEK 4 February 12th Culture, Bodies, Sex
ALL READ
o Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
o Merry, Human Rights and Gender Violence. Chpts. 3-5
o Bettina Shell-Duncan, From Health to Human Rights: Female Genital Cutting and the Politics
of Intervention, American Anthropologist, 110 (2) 225-236.
o Lewis, Hope. 1995. Between irua and female genital mutilation: feminist human rights
discourse and the cultural divide, Harvard Human Rights Journal 8: 1.
o Cabezas, Amalia. 2002. Tourism, Sex Work, and Womens Rights in the Dominican
Republic, Chapter 2 in Globalization and Human Rights.
DUE: GS 3 sentence description/thesis of research paper topic
Recommended:
Darby, Robert and J. Steven Svoboda. 2007. A Rose by Any Other Name? Rethinking the
Similarities and Differences between Male and Female Genital Cutting, Medical Anthropology
Quarterly, 21 (3): 301323.
CEDAW Made Easy: Question and Answer Booklet (on E-Courseware)
WEEK 5 February 19th Religion, Education & Marriage
ALL READ:
o Merry, Human Rights and Gender Violence. Chpt. 6-7.
Choose 3 of the Following:

o Speed, Gendered Intersections: Collective and Individual Rights in Indigenous Womens

Experience, in Human Rights an Anthropological Reader, pgs. 229-245.
o Bennoune, Karmina. 2007. Secularism And Human Rights: A Contextual Analysis Of
Headscarves, Religious Expression, And Women's Equality Under International Law,
Columbia Journal Of Transnational Law (45) 2.
o Khurshid, Ayesha 2012. A Transnational Community of Pakistani Muslim Women: Narratives
of Rights, Honor, and Wisdom in a Womens Education Project, Anthropology and Education
Quarterly, 43 (3): 235252.
o Mita Bhadra, Changing Age at Marriage of Girls in India in Girl Child in Indian Society
(pgs. 120-147).
WEEK 6 February 26th Speaking of Rights and Women
Film - TBA
UG- NGO Presentations in class
GS - Thematic Essay due Thursday, February 28th 12 pm

Health and Human Rights

WEEK 7 March 5th Public Health, World Health, and Human Rights
o Paul Farmer, Pathologies of Power, Intro - 4.
Choose 2 of the following:
o Mann, Jonathan, et al. Health and Human Rights in Health and Human Rights.
o Freedman, Lynn Reflections on Emerging Frameworks of Health and Human Rights Health
and Human Rights.
o Benjamin Mason Miller, The World Health Organization, The Evolution Of Human Rights And
The Failure To Achieve Health For All In Global Health And Human Rights.
Recommended:
Toebes, Brigit, Towards and Improved Understanding of the International Human Right to
Health. Human Rights Quarterly available at
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/human_rights_quarterly/v021/21.3toebes.html
WEEK 8 March 12th No Class Spring Break
WEEK 9 March 19th Discourses of Rights in Research & Intervention
ALL READ:
o Paul Farmer, Pathologies of Power, Chapters 5-9
UG Choose 1 and GS Choose 2 Of The Following:
o Pereira, Pedro Paulo Gomes. 2008. Anthropology And Human Rights: Between Silence And
Voice, Anthropology And Humanism, 33 (1/2,): 3852.
o Painter-Brick, Catherine. 2002. Street Children, Human Rights, And Public Health: A Critique
And Future Directions Annual Review Of Anthropology, 31: 147-171.
o Robert Brownsword, The Ancillary-Care Responsibilities Of Researchers: Reasonable But Not
Great Expectations In Global Health And Human Rights.
o Van Hollen, Ceclia. 2011. Breast or Bottle: HIV-Positive Womens Responses to Global Health
Policy on Infant Feeding. Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 25(4):499518.

Week 10 March 26th Shifting the Paradigm

Guest Speaker or Film - TBA
UG- NGO Presentations in class
UG take home midterm due Thursday March 28th by 12 pm.
GS - Thematic Essay due Thursday March 28th by 12 pm.

Indigenous Rights
WEEK 11 April 2nd Indigeneity, Culture & Natural Resources
ALL READ
o Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, 2008.
o Minde, The Destination and the Journey: Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations from
the 1960s through 1985 in Indigenous Peoples: Self determination, Knowledge,
Indigeneity.
o Friedman, Indigeneity: Anthropological Notes on a historical variable in Indigenous
Peoples: Self determination, in Knowledge, Indigeneity (Henry Minde, edt.).
o Sylvian, Renee. 2002 "Land, Water, and Truth": San Identity and Global Indigenism.
American Anthropologist 104(4):1074-1085.
o Brush, Stephen 1993. Indigenous Knowledge of Biological Resources and Intellectual
Property Rights: The Role of Anthropology. American Anthropologist 95(3): 653-686.
DUE: GS Detailed outline of research paper and at least 5 bibliographic references.
FILM: Trinkets & Beads
WEEK 12 April 9th Indigenous Land Rights in Australia & Honduras
ALL READ:
o Marcia Langton, 1996. The Hindmarsh Island Bridge Affair, Australian Feminist Studies,
11(24): 211-217.
Choose 2 from the following list:
o Ken Gelder and Jane M. Jacobs, Promiscuous Sacred Sites: Reflections on Secrecy and
Skepticism in the Hindmarsh Island Affair
http://www.australianhumanitiesreview.org/archive/Issue-June-1997/gelder.html
o James Weiner. 1999. Culture in a Sealed Envelope, Journal of the Royal Anthropological
Institute, 5(2): 193-214.
o Robert Tonkinson, 1997. Anthropology and Aboriginal Tradition, Oceania 68(1):1-26.
Choose 2 from the following:
o Ron Brunton. 1996. The Hindmarsh Island Bridge: And the Credibility of Australian
Anthropology, Anthropology Today, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Aug., 1996), pp. 2-7.
o Mary Edmunds, Defining Anthropology Whose Prerogative? Australian Anthropological
Society.
http://www.aas.asn.au/publications/Hindmarsh%202001%20Panel%20Discussion/Edmunds.
pdf.
o Edmond, Gary. 2004. Thick Decisions: Expertise, Advocacy and Reasonableness in the
Federal Court of Australia. Oceania 74(3): 190-23.
GUEST LECTURE: Dr. Keri Brondo will speak on Garifuna Rights to Land and Natural Resources
in Honduras

WEEK 13 April 16th Analyzing the Northern Territory Emergency Response

ALL READ:
o Northern Territory Emergency Response Act (link on E-Courseware)
o James Anaya, Observations On The Northern Territory Emergency Response In Australia,
Report by the UN Special Rapporteur.
o Vivian, A. 2010. Some Human Rights Are Worth More than Others: The Northern Territory
Intervention and the Alice Springs Town Camps. Alternative Law Journal 35(1): 13-17.
Choose 2 of the following:
o Pounder, Louise. 2008. Never Mind Human Rights, Lets Save the Children: The Australian
Governments Emergency Intervention in the Northern Territory. Indigenous Australian Law
Review (2):2-21.
o Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and Centre for Health Equity Training, Research
and Evaluation. 2010. Health Impact Assessment of the Northern Territory Emergency
Response.
o Altman, Jon and Susie Russell 2012. Too much Dreaming: Evaluations of the Northern
Territory National Emergency Response Intervention, 20072012. Evidence Base 3: 1-26.
Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, The Australian National University.
FILM: Our Generation available at - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcq4oGL0wlI
Recommended: Billings, Peter. 2009. Still Paying the Price for Benign Intentions?
Contextualising Contemporary Interventions in the Lives of Aboriginal Peoples. Melbourne
University Law Review 33(1) (2009): 1-38.
Week 14 - April 23rd What is the Anthropologist to do?
READINGS TBD
UG- NGO Presentations in class.
UG Take Home Exam Handed out
GS - Thematic Essay Due to E-Courseware on Thursday, April 25thst 12 pm.
WEEK 15 April 30th Work Day No Class
UG Take home final exam due please submit online to E-Courseware by 8:30 pm.
GS Research Paper due Thursday May 2nd by 12pm please submit online to E-Courseware.
May 2nd Study Day
May 7th Final Exam 5:30-8:00 pm
GS GS Presentations during exam period. All students attend.