Goals and Activities

Deliverables for Research

  • Long-term research clusters emerging from interstate, inter-institutional and interdisciplinary working groups that approach human rights scholarship and education from four different angles: (1) Technology, Ethics and Law, (2) Philosophy and Literature, (3) International Relations and (4) Education. In addition, a fifth Graduate Student Human Rights Research Group is currently being built. These working groups represent the backbone of the HRRC and promote innovative collaborative scholarly projects. HRRC provides funding for video-conferencing, books, and materials. All technical details, such as scheduling and book or material orders, will be handled by the group leaders.
  • Knowledge transfer and productive exchange through workshops and conferences alternating between CT and BW on topics at the intersection of the working groups’ foci. The in-person meetings are designed to intensify the productivity of the working groups.
    • HRRC Launch event on May 11, 2020, at the Human Rights Institute at the University of Connecticut with Baden-Württemberg’s Minister for Science, Research and Art, Theresia Bauer, in attendance.
    • HRRC Inaugural Conference, May 20-22, 2020, at the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS) in Baden-Württemberg with all working groups participating and some lectures open to the public. HRRC provides funds for travel, accommodation and meals. Currently in planning stage; input welcome. We will provide more information on travel reimbursement and conference details, soon. Contact at FRIAS for logistical questions regarding this conference is jennifer.foster@frias.uni-freiburg.de.
    • HRRC in-person meeting of working groups, Spring 2021. Two groups will meet in Baden-Württemberg and two groups in Connecticut. Rotation in future years. Group leaders will discuss the details with the Steering Committee and Sebastian Wogenstein.
    • The next large HRRC conference with all working groups is planned for spring 2022 in Connecticut.
  • Short-term, multi-week visiting research fellowships, up to one month (weeks in spring/summer/fall 2020), to increase mobility and collaborative research and knowledge transfer. Optional public lectures and presentations at schools to broaden the impact of human rights research. Informal applications to be submitted to Prof. Dr. Bernd Kortmann.
  • Faculty mobility for human rights research visits between academic institutions in Connecticut and Baden-Württemberg. HRRC provides funds for travel and accommodation. We will provide more information on application procedures, soon.
  • Collaborative grant writing, research projects, etc.
  • Internet Archive of all human rights-related dissertation and postdoctoral projects in both states (including project abstracts) to facilitate research opportunities for and visibility of junior scholars.
  • Publications of jointly authored books and articles in academic and non-academic journals.
  • Joint panels at major national and international conferences.

Deliverables for Education

  • Inclusion of practical/applied components (Human Rights modules/courses) in all research working groups, especially in working group 4 "Human Rights Education and Solidarity.
  • Select conference sessions at Human Rights Research Consortium conferences for secondary level school teachers of both states; curriculum assistance.
  • Collaboration with local schools for human rights project weeks (for example, with United World College Freiburg) or in the context of “Junge Universität” (i.e., exploratory events for children and youth at universities). Availability of podcasts of human rights-related lectures with educational focus on HRRC website.

Deliverables for the Public

  • Publication of jointly authored articles in non-academic media.
  • Press releases on conferences and specific human rights-related developments (e.g., regarding human rights and technology, human rights education, incidents of human rights violations, international treaties, etc.) and availability of researchers to comment on current events to the press.
  • Public lecture series on human rights topics, e.g. Studium generale, Colloquium politicum (Freiburg).
  • Human Rights Policy Fellows: Human rights activists/scholars/practitioners will be hosted for short term visits (e.g., one week) at an associated institute for engagement with consortium members and the public.

Deliverables for Political Decision-Makers

  • Policy proposals/papers and Think Tank function to advise political decision-makers on key debates involving human rights.
  • Ad hoc availability of researchers to comment on current events involving human rights.

    Funding for much of these activities will be available through the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts of Baden-Württemberg, the State of Connecticut, the University of Connecticut Human Rights Institute and the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies.

    Funding support by the additional participating institutions will be most welcome.