Category: Education

Please join us for the online book launch of Disciplinary Frontiers of Human Rights in Higher Education (Cambridge University Press, 2026).

HREA Director Felisa Tibbitts, along with co-editors Cher Weixia Chen (George Mason University) and Jonathan Liljeblad (Australian National University), will present their new book that explores human rights education across 13 disciplines and professional studies areas. 

In an era of multi-disciplinary human rights centres, the book presents how higher education is creatively engaging in human rights scholarship and teaching.

The online book launch will take place on Friday, October 9, 2026 at 9 EDT/15 CET. Please register here to receive a link. 

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

By Jacob Skrzypiec; Sarah Wiederecht; Ian McGregor

We are excited to share the recent publication of Teaching Conflict and Peace: Strategies Through a Human Rights Education Approach, in Teaching about War in International Contexts: Pedagogical Practices in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms

This chapter examines how conflict and peace can be effectively taught through a human rights education (HRE) framework within the social studies classroom. It offers preservice and in-service educators a strong rationale for using HRE approaches to engage students with these critical issues. The chapter encourages educators to move beyond traditional methods and embrace a more transformative, student-centered pedagogy. It presents a flexible roadmap for creating dedicated conflict and peace studies courses or integrating HRE into existing curricula. Emphasizing best practices and strategies, the authors focus on helping students understand context, take informed action, and reflect on newly acquired knowledge. The chapter also features tested lessons and models that show how conflict and peace can be meaningfully addressed across various social studies subjects, including Modern World History, Modern US History, Genocide Studies, and Human Rights, providing educators with practical tools for fostering critical thinking and social responsibility.



https://lnkd.in/em_tSAp3

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

The 20% discount code is DFHRHE26.
https://www.cambridge.org/9781009600859

This groundbreaking book explores the expanding and impactful relationship between human rights and academia, illustrating historical and emerging practices for integrating human rights within scholarship and teaching in a range of disciplines and professional studies. By providing examples of meaningful applications across thirteen academic fields, chapters examine the varied ways that higher education engages with human rights ontologically, theoretically, conceptually, and in practice. Collectively, it also demonstrates that human rights remain essential for addressing twenty-first-century challenges, emphasizing the role of faculty and students in advancing this work. Offering a framework for designing and studying the infusion of human rights within and across disciplines, this work includes a broad range of discussion questions to enrich learner engagement, critical thinking, and practical application. It is a vital resource for instructors, departments, and multidisciplinary centers, as well as anyone engaged in human rights, social justice, peace, and global citizenship education.

• Offers a framework for designing and studying the infusion of human rights within and across disciplines
• Provides examples of the meaningful application of human rights themes and values within 13 academic disciplines and professional studies
• Includes discussion questions for facilitating critical discussion and other assignments in the classroom setting
• Inspires further application of human rights within disciplinary studies and research

Editors:

Cher Weixia Chen, George Mason University

Felisa Tibbitts, Utrecht University

Jonathan Liljeblad, Australian National University

Cher Weixia Chen, Felisa Tibbitts, Jonathan Liljeblad, José Luis Falconi, Michael R. Orwicz, Robin Adèle Greeley, Maria Armoudian, Anne Goldson, Pramod K. Nayar, Alison Dundes Renteln, Nora Sveaass, Karie Jo Peralta, Whittney Barth, Graeme Bristol, Muhammad Hamid Zaman, Ana María Rodino, Roxanne Missingham, Bradley P. Stoner

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Published: August 2026

Availability: Not yet published – available from July 2026

Format: Paperback

ISBN: 9781009600859

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

Co-authored by Jack L. Nelson & William R. Fernekes

Social studies is a primary focus of contemporary efforts to control education, thus controlling a democratic society. Previous threats in the U.S. have temporarily disrupted high quality social education while current ones carry governmental, political, and legal restrictions representing far more power. Since an educated population is basic to the core of democratic governance, threats to intellectual and academic freedom are threats to that process. Legitimate social education incorporates inquiry, evidence-based knowledge, and critical thinking. Examples of the threat are examined in this article, followed by a summary of grounds for academic freedom. Recommendations for responsible actions and resources follow.

Given the challenging landscape facing K-university educators in the current political environment, the authors hope this article will spur reflection and action to safeguard intellectual freedom, without which no democracy can survive.

To access the article, use this DOI link: https://lnkd.in/esi5qes6.

HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.

HREA is delighted to inform you about the recently launched Global Alliance for Human Rights. Convened by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Alliance is a multi-stakeholder, cross-regional alliance to mobilize leadership, align resources, and rebuild trust in human rights as a practical force that improves lives, sustains peace and drives sustainable development. Please consider committing your organization to the Alliance.

In addition, there is an associated human rights education initiative. In the next six months (through October 2026), educational materials and documented practices, in different languages, will be mapped and published, building on over 4,500 resources currently available at UN Human Rights. This publication will help support a multistakeholder network to embed human rights education in legislation, policy and curricula, advocate for implementation resources, review textbooks and teaching methods, create supportive learning environments, and train teaching professionals.

HRE USA is a project of the  Center for Transformative Action.