Call for Human Rights Course Instructors

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

The Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University is looking for a qualified human rights instructor to teach the following course during the 2022-2023 academic year, with the possibility of continued teaching in subsequent semesters. Please note that this is a part-time, adjunct appointment. 

Human Rights in the United States - 4000-level - Fall 2022 or Spring 2023
This graduate seminar course offers a multidisciplinary introduction to human rights in the United States and provides a survey of major issues, challenges, and approaches. The proposed course would focus on: 
  1. Identifying, assessing and applying international and domestic human rights and relevant legal, ethical or other principles and practice to the major contemporary human rights debates in the US. Themes and topics the course will address include, but are not limited to: racial discrimination and criminal justice reform, sexual orientation and gender identity, reproductive rights, gun violence, voting rights, access to housing, healthcare, the role of social movements, national security and US foreign policy. 
  2. Analyzing case studies and assembling accurate empirical data.
  3. Assessing US attitudes towards international human rights mechanisms.
  4. Interpreting relevant historical, political, and economic conditions and causalities, and
  5. Assessing and promoting remedial strategies, and obstacles to providing accountability.
The course will incorporate human rights-specific pedagogical approaches with an emphasis on critical thinking, writing, research, and argumentation skills.
This seminar will be offered at the 4000-level for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Enrollment priority will be given to students in one of ISHR’s human rights degree programs, but will also be open to students from other departments and schools if space is available. 
Applicants should send the following, as a single document, with the subject heading “Human Rights in the US” to humanrightsed@columbia.edu. Applications received by Monday, July 11th will be given priority.
  • Letter of interest
  • CV
  • Teaching statement
  • Sample course outline (this need not be a complete syllabus, but should give a general sense of how you would approach the course) 
  • Course evaluations (if available)
We look forward to receiving your application!