Canada's ratification of the United Nations international human rights instruments demonstrates that literacy is not only an educational right but also a necessary prerequisite for effective participation in Canada's advanced society. (Author/CB)

Social scientists have suggested that all societies adhere to certain universal values. One form or another of the Golden Rule, for example, appears in all cultures. It may follow that, if we want to rise above cultural relativism, we might adopt values that humans seem to share and agree on already. The author of this article dismisses various…

In this article, the author examines another dimension of human rights--the problem of torture. He looks at U.S. commitments to international conventions prohibiting torture in light of the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. He shows how a position adopted by the Bush administration that these international conventions did not apply to the war…

Presents a lesson for middle and secondary school students in which they respond to a hypothetical scenario that enables them to develop a list of basic rights. Expounds that students compare their list of rights to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in order to explore the assumptions about human rights. (CMK)

Presents a lesson designed to help students identify components of justice and discern issues of justice and injustice in daily life. Includes background information and preparation, an activity preparation phase, and an application phase in which five role-playing scenarios are used. (CFR)

Asserts that, in teaching about human rights, the international standards should be the fundamental core of the content and values to be communicated. Recommends that teachers should use the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the standard by which the actions of individuals and governments should be compared. (CFR)

Presents a lesson designed to analyze cultural practices from the perspective of U.S. laws. Proposes a legal philosophy continuum ranging from universalist to relativist positions. Provides student handouts that present legal case studies involving cultural contexts. (CFR)

Contends that human rights education, particularly in the United States, tends to emphasize civil and political rights. Argues the need to emphasize economic and social rights and the interdependency of human rights. Contends that moral education should open discussion and scholarship so that students will choose their values. (CFR)