Course Details

International law obligates States to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights. Yet in a world of global markets where the practices of transnational businesses have a profound impact on human rights conditions, potential limits on the authority of States and the reach of international law are apparent. This course will consider what role non-state actors can and should have in the protection of human rights and how effective international law is in holding corporate actors accountable for their violation. It will provide an overview of the growing field of business and human rights practice and examine the parts played by different actors in the private and public sector in giving human rights meaning. The course will raise core questions about the relationship between corporate power, human rights, and the effectiveness of international law in regulating unequal relationships in the global economy. The course will consider the differences between corporate social responsibility, corporate accountability, and corporate philanthropy, and evaluate how (and if) each lead to better human rights outcomes for communities, workers, and others. We will also look at the connections between gender, business, and human rights, and what companies are (and are not) doing to manage the human rights impacts of their operations and business relationships. Students will have the opportunity to explore the strategies used by actors working in the field and consider their own roles as consumers in the protection of human rights.