Causes Beyond Borders: Human Rights Activism and Global Governance

Semester and Year	SP 2013
Course Number	ELEC-GG2730
Section	001
Instructor	Vasuki Nesiah
Days	Wed
Time	3:30 PM - 6:10 PM
Units	4.0
Level	G
Foundation Requirement

Notes/Restrictions

Open to advanced undergraduates with permission of the instructor (vn10@nyu.edu).

Description

One of the most distinctive dimensions of contemporary globalization has been the flourishing of transnational activism. Causes, organizations and activist networks have crossed borders alongside capital, goods and labor to reshape the terrain of political engagement. This class examines the enabling conditions and (intended and unintended) consequences of this turn to transnational activism in relation to other dimensions of contemporary global governance. The course will focus on human rights initiatives, including international non-governmental organizations such as Amnesty International and transnational campaigns such as ‘Save Darfur’. Reading important critical interventions of the last decade, the class will collectively analyze how different approaches mobilize and challenge different actors, causes and alternative imaginings of 'the global'. The course is open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Readings are likely to draw from Sydney Tarrow, Clifford Bob, Daniel Bell, Kathryin Sikkink, Sally Merry, Stephen Hopgood, Mahmoud Mamdani, Kamari Clark, Wendy Hesford and Valerie Sperling.

Syllabus

ELEC-GG2730

Course Type

Graduate Electives (ELEC-GG)