We are pleased to announce the availability of our latest installment of podcast episodes in Human Rights Education NOW! Episodes 54 & 55 feature conversations with Dr. Rick Halperin & Julie Rinker.
Dr. Rick Halperin, Director of the Embrey Human Rights Program at SMU, has spent over five decades immersed in human rights activism and education. With a Ph.D. in Southern History from Auburn University, he taught history in 1985 and human rights in 1990. Rick has led numerous human rights trips, worked as a monitor across the globe, and served on several high-profile boards, including Amnesty International USA—where he chaired the board three times—and organizations fighting the death penalty and supporting torture survivors.
Julie Rinker is a doctoral student in Special Education at the Cal State LA/UCLA Joint Doctoral Program. Her research bridges literacy and human rights, focusing on dyslexia intervention and teacher mentorship. An art quilter and activist, she protests the death penalty using her textile work, often seen at the Texas Huntsville Unit and the U.S. Capitol. In the Summer of 2022, Julie was the first Edmonds Teaching Fellow for Human Rights Educators USA.
Episode 54 – Dr. Rick Halperin & Julie Rinker
Dr. Rick Halperin and Julie Rinker reflect on their deeply personal and professional journeys into human rights education. Julie shares how her literacy work in public schools naturally evolved into human rights education through socially relevant texts. Rick discusses how his academic studies, visits to Holocaust sites, and the death of Jan Palach in Prague shaped his lifelong commitment to human rights. Their shared experiences underscore the transformative power of education, memory, and advocacy. Julie credits Rick’s teaching and activism with inspiring her own work, including impactful visits to historical sites. They also explore Rick’s decades-long involvement with Amnesty International, including its expanding mission and current challenges. Despite shifts in focus—such as the diminishing emphasis on death penalty abolition—both emphasize the enduring importance of centering human dignity, with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights serving as a guiding foundation.
Topics Discussed:
- Origins of their human rights commitment and educational approaches
- Julie’s literacy and dyslexia work tied to social justice themes
- Rick’s scholarly development through genocide studies and historical tragedies
- The influence of site visits (e.g., Holocaust memorials) on worldview and activism
- Amnesty International’s shifting focus and internal challenges
- Why upholding human dignity remains central to all human rights efforts
- Reflections on teaching, mentorship, and the future of abolition activism
🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or HERE
📖 Learn more HERE
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE
Episode 55 – Dr. Rick Halperin & Julie Rinker
In Episode 55, Dr. Rick Halperin and Julie Rinker continue their conversation on the intersection of human rights education (HRE), literacy, and activism. Julie discusses how her doctoral work uses HRE to support students with reading disabilities, merging social justice with practical interventions for literacy challenges. The episode delves into the harsh realities and evolving methods of capital punishment in the U.S., with both guests emphasizing the importance of public education to inspire change and action. Rick shares firsthand experiences as a human rights monitor in conflict zones like Gaza and Central America, while both highlight the influence of personal role models in shaping their advocacy. The episode closes with powerful quotes and concrete recommendations: make HRE a mandatory part of U.S. education from early childhood through higher education and ensure all teachers are equipped to help struggling readers through a human rights lens.
Topics Discussed
- Using human right education to support students with reading disabilities
- Challenges and decline in use of the death penalty
- Concerns over execution methods, including nitrogen gas
- Importance of rehabilitation and transformation in incarceration
- Rick’s monitoring work in Gaza, Central America, and Northern Ireland
- Harsh realities of daily life in Gaza
- Role models: Fran Bowman (Julie), Charles Hamilton Houston (Rick)
- Inspirational quotes on dignity, literacy, and hope
- Calls to make human rights education mandatory from K–12 through university
- Advocacy for equipping all teachers to support struggling readers through a human rights lens
🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or HERE
📖 Learn more HERE
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE
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