Assessment

Now you should be comfortable with foreign policy, its goals, approaches, and the importance of human rights in world affairs. You will use this information to evaluate foreign policy related to a human rights issue. Imagine yourself as a staff member of the United Nations assigned to keep ambassadors up to date on human rights issues and government policies to address them.

Steps

1. Select a recent or ongoing human rights issue. You may research one of the example issues from this Human Rights Issues List or choose one the following case studies provided for you:

• Repression of Political Dissent in Cuba Case Study
• Human Trafficking in Thailand Case Study

2. Learn about your issue. Carefully read the case study provided in step one, or research the alternative human rights issue you chose. Be sure to find out how the United States and other countries are attempting to address the issue.

3. Create a policy update for the United Nations, including at least three well-written paragraphs that address the following:

• Origins-How did the human rights issue come about? Who does it affect and how? How does it affect human rights?

• Responses-How is the United States government responding to the issue? How are other governments both inside and outside the situation responding to the problem? How do these responses relate to the foreign policy spectrum of approaches you studied in the lesson (isolationism, diplomacy, interventionism, imperialism)?

• Evaluation-Are the efforts and policies enacted by governments and international organizations successful? What would you recommend be done to better address the human rights issue?

4. You may submit your policy update as a text document or in a creative format if you prefer. There are many 21st-century tools available for creating and submitting your work in the online environment. For more information on tools your school uses, you may contact your instructor or visit the Web 2.0 tools area.