We are pleased to announce the availability of our latest installment of podcast episodes in Human Rights Education NOW! Episodes 44 & 45 feature conversations with Susan Roberta Katz. Susan Roberta Katz is Professor Emerita of International & Multicultural Education at the University of San Francisco, where she taught for 27 years and co-founded the graduate program in Human Rights Education in 2008. A former San Francisco public middle school teacher, she received her Ph.D. in Education in Language & Literacy at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education. Since 2010, she has participated in collaborative research and educational projects with Indigenous communities in both Ecuador and Colombia. Her co-edited book, Bringing Human Rights Education to U.S. Classrooms: Exemplary Models from Elementary Grades through University, was published by Palgrave McMillan in Spring 2015.
Episode 44: Susan Roberta Katz, Part One
In Episode 44, Susan Katz reflects on the origins of her interest in human rights, shaped by the Anti-Vietnam War and civil rights movements, as well as the Black Panther Party and the National Student Strike. She highlights her involvement in the East Oakland Revitalization project, working with students and community groups, and her focus on multicultural teacher training in San Francisco. Susan emphasizes the role of pride and self-esteem in her teaching, particularly with new and immigrant students. Her oral history project on civil wars ties into her academic work and teaching at the University of San Francisco. She also discusses the importance of personal narratives in human rights education and her collaboration with the Voice of Witness project. Susan shares her experiences working with Indigenous Peoples, particularly in Ecuador and Colombia, and her commitment to addressing collective rights, language retention, and cultural sustainability. This led to her development of a human rights education program at the University of San Francisco, which evolved from a field concentration into a master’s program. She touches on the challenge of involving public school teachers in higher education and the silo effect in academia, concluding with remarks on the significance of human rights education in fostering broader understanding and action.
Topics discussed:
● Influence of the Anti-Vietnam War and civil rights movements on human rights interest. ● Involvement in East Oakland Revitalization and multicultural teacher training.
● Focus on pride and self-esteem in teaching immigrant students.
● Importance of personal narratives in human rights education.
● Work with indigenous peoples on collective rights and cultural sustainability.
● Development of Human Rights Education program at University of San Francisco.
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
Episode 45: Susan Roberta Katz, Part Two
In In Episode 45, Susan Katz discusses her work in human rights education (HRE), including her published volume Bringing Human Rights Education to U.S. Classrooms, which focuses on integrating HRE across curricula. She explores the connection between HRE and social justice, critiquing U.S. exceptionalism and advocating for a human rights framework to address issues like police brutality and the failure to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Susan emphasizes the importance of using HRE to confront authoritarianism, empower critical perspectives, and promote joy as resistance. She draws inspiration from figures like Ericka Huggins and Olga Talamonte, highlighting the power of personal narratives in challenging oppression. Susan also calls for mandating HRE in K-12 education and supporting teachers in its implementation.
Topics discussed:
● Published work on integrating human rights education across the curriculum. ● Connection between human rights education (HRE) and social justice, addressing U.S. exceptionalism.
● Using HRE to address children’s rights and poverty, with emphasis on the CRC ratification.
● HRE’s role in confronting authoritarianism and empowering critical perspectives. ● Inspiration from Ericka Huggins and Olga Talamonte on the power of personal narratives.
● Recommendation to mandate HRE in K-12 curricula and support teachers in its implementation.
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
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