Does the claim to the universality of human rights offer a groundwork for cross-cultural human values or is it itself an integral part of 'global capitalism' or 'Western hegemony'? What is the place of human rights in a society shaped by a non-Western frame of mind, for instance, by Confucian principles? What has been the political impact of recent human rights campaigns on non-Western societies? In this course we will seek to address these timely questions by focusing on the contemporary clash of Western notions of human rights with the cultural orientations of Asian societies, especially China. Substantial issues to be covered throughout the course include: universalism and multiculturalism, justice and virtue, the core/periphery distinction and globalization, cultural identity and class differentiation, religion and modes of modernity.

CILO-1: Develop nuanced perspectives on selected topics in social and political philosophy including global justice, multiculturalism and identity politics. CILO-2: Explain and critically evaluate the significance, justification and scope of human rights and their status in diverse cultural contexts. CILO-3: Define and explain the emergence of complex philosophical concepts and apply these concepts to deliberate about relevant cases.