Lecture Series on Human Rights in China

The lecture on 29 April will be in Lipsius Building/Room 011


By J. van der Made, MA
Organised by IIAS and Department of Chinese Studies, Leiden University.

 

 

 

 

This series consists of five lectures discussing human rights developments in China. Van der Made will focus on improvements in the last twenty years as well as current human rights violations. The interaction between China and Western governments and NGO’s will receive due attention as well.

 

 

Drs. J. van der Made was correspondent for Het Parool and GPD in Beijing in the 1990s. He worked in Hong Kong for several years as China Researcher for Human Rights Watch.

Friday 28 January 2005, 15.00-17.00 hrs
Lipsius Building 1175/ Room 028

Introduction to Human Rights
This introductory lecture will focus on defining human rights and “human rights violations”. It will briefly outline the history of human rights and go into the separation between civil/political rights versus economic/social/cultural rights and the effects of this separation. Finally, the effect of the post-9/11 war against terror on human rights will be dicussed.

Friday 25 February 2005, 15.00-17.00 hrs
Lipsius Building 1175/ Room 148

Human Rights in China: Theory
The second lecture will focus more specifically on China and the relationship between Chinese law and human rights. This lecture completes the theoretical introduction to human rights.

Friday 1 April 2005, 15.00-17.00 hrs
Lipsius Building 1175/ Room 028

Human rights in China: Reality
This lecture will attempt to answer questions such as ‘which persons/groups that tried to exercise their basic rights (dissidents/religious groups/separatists/internet related ‘criminals’) are being targeted by the Chinese judicial apparatus and what punishment do they face?’ and ‘what has improved in the field of human rights since the start of the gaige kaifang (policy of reform and opening up) in 1978?’. Besides paying attention to improvements in economic rights, van der Made will address the increasing freedom of expression, grassroot elections, the shangfang (petition) system, and the establishment and growth of the judicial apparatus.

Friday 29 April 2005, 15.00-17.00 hrs
ROOM CHANGED
Lipsius Building 1175/ Room 011

Human rights within Sino-foreign diplomatic relations
During the fourth lecture of this series the changing attitudes of the West towards China’s human rights situation – from sanctions to constructive engagement- will be discussed. Light will be shed on China’s changing reactions towards foreign critiques: from complete rejection to dialogue and acceptance of participation in “good governance” programs.

Friday 27 May 2005, 15.00-17.00 hrs
Lipsius Building 1175/ Room 028

‘Criticism’ or ‘Interference’, the role of international NGO’s
In the final lecture of this series Van der Made will explain which organisations are key players among the China-related human rights NGO’s, and what their agendas are. He will focus on the different approaches NGO’s take towards China and on the actual and expected results of groups, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

For registration and further information, please contact:
IIAS
Ms. Amis Boersma
T +31-71-527 2227
a.boersma@let.leidenuniv.nl