This course offers an introduction to the study of state repression of human rights, with a particular emphasis on global patterns in physical integrity rights violations such as killings, torture, and sexual violence by state agents. Why do states engage in such behaviors, and how can it be stopped? Substantively, the course focuses on central concepts in political science, such as power, violence, and the state. Methodologically, we focus primarily on how empirical studies have tried to answer the question of why basic human rights are violated by states and what might reduce the occurrence of this state behavior. We pay particular attention to how systematic statistical studies have been used for discerning patterns in state repression, and how we should think about and try to overcome challenges in documenting and analyzing repression when assessing patterns of abuse. In the first part of the course, we focus on defining the problem (what is state repression, what are human rights and physical integrity rights?) and how it can be documented and measured. The second part focuses on the causes of state repression – or, why some states are more repressive that others and in what ways that manifests. The third part focuses on what can be done to stop or prevent state repression. The last part focuses on how justice and other reckoning might help recovery after political terror at the hands of states, and we also look to what the future of human rights might hold.

Intended Audience:

International Studies Majors.