C·A·P Home > C·A·P Akademie > Publikationen > Wissenschaft > International Perspectives

International Perspectives on Human Rights Education

Bertelsmann Foundation Publishers

Viola B. Georgi, Michael Seberich (eds.): International Perspectives on Human Rights Education, Bertelsmann Foundation Publishers, Gütersloh 2004, ISBN 3-89204-76L-8.

06.08.2004 · Akademie Führung & Kompetenz


The first set of articles of this book consists of case studies that examine theory and practice of human rights education in specific regions and countries. In her article "Selected Models of Human Rights Education in Asia," Zenaida Reyes not only gives asolid overview of NGOs and government initiatives in Asia (Cambodia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Korea, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh) that concentrate on human rights and human rights education, but also critically describes the state of the art of human rights education in the formal school sector of these counties. It becomes clear that "good practice" is based on a cooperation of governmental on non-governmental actors in the field of human rights.

The contribution of Michelle Parlevliet focuses on human rights education in South Africa with particular reference to conflict resolution. She sketches the historical context and current background of conflict resolution that has become a major approach and instrument to deal with the experience of Apartheid and the problems that derive from the massive transformation process that the South African society has undergone. Parlevliet looks at the intersections and interdependences of conflict resolution and human rights education, underlining how fruitful it is to integrate the methodology of conflict resolution into the didactics of human rights education. Her analysis builds on lessons learned from the various projects carried out by the Center for Conflict Resolution at the University of Cape Town.

Vera Maria Candau from Brazil reminds us of the "Challenges of Human Rights Education in South America." She outlines the social, political and often ideological context in which human rights education has emerged on the South American continent. She identifies central actors, initiatives and NGOs in the field of human rights education. At the same time, she critically reviews the effects of neo-liberal thinking and neo-liberal economic structures on human rights education and education in general. Candau pinpoints major challenges that stern from this new situation in which human rights education appears to be losing the potential of becoming a tool für social transformation in Latin America as was prevalent in the 1980s.

The last case study does not cover a whole continent but a country, namely Germany. The article by Nils Rosemann analy ses the state of human rights education in Germany. Looking at the civil service, the judiciary, the education system and NGOs, he shows a variety of approaches with regard to human rights education.

Pdf download