Universities and Human Rights

American universities frequently face controversial decisions about entering into overseas activities in countries in which violations of human rights occur. In analyzing the problems raised for academic institutions by these decisions involving scholarly, political, and other considerations, it is not possible to discuss in detail all the cases which have been so difficult to resolve. Given the diversity of universities, of academic programs, and of standards of behavior in the more than 150 countries of this world, nobody can review all past experiences or foresee all eventualities. Instead my task here will be twofold: first to clarify the underlying conceptual problems and second to provide a framework for dealing systematically with cases as they arise. The question of whether or to what extent universities should get involved in foreign countries in which human rights are violated can only be understood in the broader context of the nature of the university. Thus I will begin with this important question. In the second section I will propose and examine criteria for involvement in or disengagement from overseas activities

Human rights · Political science · Human Rights and Development · International Law and Human Rights · Law · Torture, Ethics, and Law