Human Rights and Chinese Philosophy

Reading and Assignment List

Sources of Readings

The Mencius and Henry Shue's Basic Rights: Subsistence, Affluence, and U. S. Foreign Policy must be purchased at Atticus (347-1194). On Rights and Human Rights is required and will be available for purchase from Professor Angle. All remaining readings are in two or three coursepacks, also required and each available at the Mail Center (344-9339).

Calendar of Assignments

Traditions
January 26

Summary: Tamar

Introduction and Origins of Western Rights Tradition

  • No reading
February 2

Summary: Drew

Classical Confucianism and Human Rights

  • Mencius (follow this link for selections)
  • Bloom, "Fundamental Intuitions and Consensus Statements: Mencian Confucianism and Human Rights"
February 9

Summary: Tony

Neo-Confucianism and Desires

  • Dai Zhen, Evidential Commentary on Mencius (pp. 126-165 and 384-389)
  • Angle, The Challenge of China, "Chapter 5. Legitimate Desires"
February 16

Summary: Whitney

Chinese Rights Discourse Develops (I)

  • Angle, The Challenge of China, "Chapter 6. Nineteenth Century Sources"
  • Angle & Svensson, trans., On Rights and Human Rights (pp. 11-47)
  • SHORT PAPER ASSIGNED
February 23

Summary: Verena

Chinese Rights Discourse Develops (II)

  • Marx, "On the Jewish Question"
  • Angle & Svensson, trans., On Rights and Human Rights (pp. 48-103)

Today
March 1

Summary: Melody

1990s Official and Academic Discourse

  • 1991 White Paper on Human Rights
  • Li Buyun, "Human Rights: Three Existential Types"
  • Zhang Wenxian, "Human Rights, Rights, and Collective Rights: A Response to Comrade Lu Deshan"
  • Xia Yong, "Human Rights and Chinese Tradition"
March 3
  • SHORT PAPER DUE
March 8

Summary: Nathaniel

Activism: Democracy Wall, Tiananmen, and Today

  • Wei Jingsheng, "Human Rights, Equality, and Democracy"
  • Wei Jingsheng, "The Fifth Modernization"
  • Du Guo, "Rebuttal to a Critique of 'Human Rights'"
  • Lan Ying, "Is 'Human Rights' Always a Bourgeois Slogan? A Discussion with Comrade Xiao Weiyun and Others"
  • Lei Guang, "Elusive Democracy: Conceptual Change in the Chinese Democracy Movement, 1978-9 to 1989"

----------Spring Break----------
March 29

Summary: Josh

The UN, The Bangkok Declaration, and Asian Values

  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  • International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
  • International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
  • Bangkok Declaration
  • Liu Junning, "What Are Asian Values?"

Topical Arguments
April 5

Summary: Larry

Perspectives on Ethical Pluralism

  • Williams, "Interlude: Relativism"
  • Gibbard, "Communities of Judgment"
  • Donnelley, "Cultural Relativism and Universal Human Rights"
  • RESEARCH PAPER TOPIC DUE
April 12

Summary: Eric

Culture-based Arguments

  • Rosemont, "Why Take Rights Seriously? A Confucian Critique"
  • Ames, "Continuing the Conversation on Chinese Human Rights"
  • Donnelly, "Conversing with Straw Men While Ignoring Dictators: A Reply to Roger Ames"
April 19

Summary: Allison

Sources of Rights, Utilitarianism, and Harmony

  • Peerenboom, "Rights, Interests, and the Interest in Rights in China"
  • Angle, The Challenge of China, "Chapter 9. Continuity, Contestation, and Criticism"
  • RESEARCH PAPER ROUGH DRAFT DUE
April 26

Summary: Joe

Development/Subsistence Arguments

  • Shue, Basic Rights, Chapters 1-2
  • Alston, "U. S. Ratification of the Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights: The Need for an Entirely New Strategy"
  • Donnelly, "In Search of the Unicorn: The Jurisprudence and Politics of the Right to Development"
May 3

Conclusion

  • 10-minute presentations by all students on their research
May 5
  • RESEARCH PAPER DUE

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