Course Details

Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

$1,500.00

Course Code:

CPS7506

Credit Hours:

3

Course Level:

700

Area of Study:

Conflict and Peace Studies

Course Description

CPS7506 - (MA/DHS – Elective Course) Though its origin could be traced to the ancient and medieval periods, human rights as a concept and policy instrument became popular in the 20th century, particularly after the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948. There are many scholarly studies on the subject, but most of them adopt a Eurocentric approach. Scarcely there are studies which bring into focus a Vedanta perspective on the subject. The concept of practical Vedanta, popularized by Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th century, could be considered a precursor to the idea of human rights. Vedanta philosophy, Swami Vivekananda argued, has no value unless it addresses everyday problems confronted by human society including the exploitation of the weak, discrimination against women, and problems like poverty and illiteracy. He argued that for universal peace it is necessary that individuals come out of their selfish boundaries and think of the world as one family (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam). The course through its various modules emphasizes that Vedanta perspective with its deep philosophical and practical underpinnings is relevant for human rights policy and practice.

Program of Study

This course is part of the following programs:

Master of Arts in Hindu Studies (MA)

Doctor of Hindu Studies (DHS)

Division

Graduate Division

Required / Core / Elective:

Elective

Prerequisites:

Admission into a Program of Study

Semester / Quarter System:

Quarter

Number of Weeks:

Semester / Quarter Offered:

Quarter

Days of the Week:

Time:

Start Date:

End Date:

Faculty

Dr. Debidatta. A. Mahapatra

Dr. Debidatta Aurobinda Mahapatra holds a doctoral degree from the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston. His areas of interest include conflict management and peacebuilding, South Asia, and Indian thought.

debidatta.mahapatra@hua.edu

In this course, the students will be able to:

Evaluate various phases of the evolution of human rights concepts and practices.
Design a human rights approach by applying Vedanta philosophy.
Argue the case for a broader approach on human rights by critically examining the dominant approaches.
Examine issues in contemporary human rights policies and discourses by applying a Vedanta perspective.

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Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

Course content

The course material will be provided by the instructor. The reading list given below is not exhaustive. The instructor may provide further readings and use audiovisuals to supplement the readings provided in the list.

Class Structure

There will be 3 contact hours with the faculty every week. The class is structured in a way that promotes discussion and debate based on self-study, research, and writing assignments each week. At the end of the course, students will be required to submit a short essay.

X

Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

$1,500.00

Quarter / Semester Offered

Clear

Hindu University of America

Course Details

Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

Course Code:

CPS7506

Credit Hours:

3

Course Level:

700

Area of Study:

Conflict and Peace Studies

Course Description

Program of Study

Division

Required / Core / Elective:

Prerequisites:

Semester / Quarter System:

Number of Weeks:

Semester / Quarter Offered:

Days of the Week:

Time:

Start Date:

End Date:

Faculty

Dr. Debidatta. A. Mahapatra

Featured Testimonial

Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

Course content

Class Structure

X

Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

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Human Rights: A Hindu Perspective

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