Human Rights Education Now!

The podcast team explores the advantages and challenges of podcasting as an information medium, followed by reflections on the reception of the Human Rights Education Now! podcast at the London International Association of Human Rights Education Conference. An output highlight from the conference was a chapter on "Human Rights Education NOW! Podcast Case Study: Illuminating HRE Through the Li...

Dr. Candace H. Blake-Amarante is the Knowledge Manager at Equitas, where she creates and shares knowledge on human rights education. An author, she focuses on children's rights and incorporates the voices of children with chronic illnesses in her works, including The Dream Machine and You, Me and Victor Hugo! She holds a Ph. D. in political science from Columbia University.  Jean-Sébastien Va...

Candace and Jean-Sébastien emphasize the importance of engaging young people in human rights work by connecting activism to historical and disciplinary knowledge. They discuss how educators must integrate a human rights perspective into their teaching, fostering self-reflection and transformative learning beyond facts to include attitudes, skills, and behaviors. The conversation highlights the cha...

The HRE USA Edmonds Fellows are emerging leaders dedicated to advancing human rights education through impactful projects, mentorship, and advocacy across diverse communities. This podcast episode features:  Kara Anderson, Areianaz (Ara) Eghbali, Hallie McRae, Carly Sandstrom, and Emma Tolliver. Visit our HREUSA website to read their full bios.  In Episode 48, the HRE USA Edmonds Fellows share the...

In Episode 49, the Edmonds Fellows discuss their work and vision for advancing human rights education (HRE) in the U.S., reflecting on obstacles such as funding shortfalls, information silos, and cost-driven approaches that fail to prioritize civic responsibilities. They emphasize the importance of countering misinformation and the weaponization of human rights through the use of accurate, informe...

Note: due to character limitations, details below are abbreviated. Visit HREUSA Podcast page for full version. Kristi Rudelius-Palmer, Ph. D., is a distinguished human rights learning consultant , strategy advisor, and director for Human Rights Educators USA (HREUSA). As a Fulbright Specialist (2023-2026), she collaborated with the University of Iceland’s School of Education to launch its first co...

In Episode 47, Dr. Kristi Rudelius-Palmer reflects on her work in human rights education (HRE), beginning with her learnings from Indigenous activist educators and communities along with the importance of integrating the International Indian Treaty Council initiatives, the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the American Indian Movement into educational frameworks. She discusses e...

Susan Roberta Katz is Professor Emerita of International & Multicultural Education at the University of San Francisco, where she taught for 27 years and co-founded the graduate program in Human Rights Education in 2008. A former San Francisco public middle school teacher, she received her Ph. D. in Education in Language & Literacy at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Education. Since 2010...

In Episode 45, Susan Katz discusses her work in human rights education (HRE), including her published volume Bringing Human Rights Education to U.S. Classrooms , which focuses on integrating HRE across curricula. She explores the connection between HRE and social justice, critiquing U.S. exceptionalism and advocating for a human rights framework to address issues like police brutality and the fail...

Note: due to character limitations, bio and episode details are an abbreviated version. Visit the HREUSA Podcast page for the full version HERE . Dr. Hugh Starkey is an Emeritus Professor of Citizenship and Human Rights Education at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society. His research focuses on education for democratic citizenship and human rights education (EDC/HRE) from an intercultural pe...

In Episode 43, Dr. Hugh Starkey discusses the crucial role of school leaders in promoting human rights education (HRE) despite facing political constraints. He explores the connections between social justice, global citizenship, and HRE, highlighting the influence of Malcolm X on advocacy efforts. Hugh emphasizes the importance of building a culture of human rights both locally and globally, posit...

Note: due to character limitations, bio and episode details are an abbreviated version. Sam Totten is professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. His areas of research are: crimes against humanity and genocide in Sudan; the current war in Ukraine; the impact of genocide on the individual and the local community; the intervention and prevention of genocide; and the denial of gen...

In Episode 41, Sam Totten discusses the Genocide Studies Program in Rwanda and the challenges of implementing a masters curriculum. Sam then describes revisionist history, the Rwandan genocide, and issues-centered curriculum and human rights education. Next, Sam shares his thoughts on censorship issues in the United States, and his concerns about curriculum restrictions in K-12 and higher educatio...

Elana Haviv, Ph. D. is the founder and Executive Director of Generation Human Rights, Inc. She has designed and implemented human rights-based curriculum projects for schools across the United States and Europe as well as in refugee camp settings,and humanitarian emergencies worldwide. Her independent consulting work includes writing for UNESCO on practical advice for teachers managing constructiv...

In Episode 39, Dr. Elana Haviv analyzes the relationship between HRE and social justice. She then critiques the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and ideas around refashioning the UDHR for contemporary populations. Next, Elana shares her thoughts on classroom lessons as a way to provide opportunities for activism and her views on Generation Human Rights as a politically neutral organiza...

Glenn Mitoma is a Lecturer in the Discipline of Human Rights and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University.  His research and teaching focus on the history of human rights and human rights education, with current projects on the mid-20th century history of human rights education. He served on the Connecticut State Advisory Committee on Ge...

In Episode 37, Glenn Mitoma discusses the relationships between HRE and social justice, as well as his thoughts on social justice as a dynamic force advancing human rights in the pursuit of justice. Next, he shares his thoughts on the Indigenous rights movement as a force for collective rights. Glenn also describes the use of CRC as a pathway to support childrens’ rights, including ideas for engag...

Karen Robinson has over 35 years of experience in human rights, human rights education, community and youth development, and community organizing. Karen started her career at American University where she helped start the Center for Volunteerism and Community Service. Later, Karen moved to Amnesty International, USA where she served as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Deputy Director and Director of the...

In Episode 34, Karen Robinson continues her discussion regarding the Man Up Campaign, as well as the Speak Truth to Power Program at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. She talks about the RFKHR annual video contest, as well as the theater program. Karen goes on to highlight the importance of sharing stories and raising awareness about human rights issues, particularly for marginalized communities. Sh...

In Episode 35, Karen Robinson describes her spiritual grounding, as well as the impact and influence of great thinkers like Khalil Gibran. Next, she discusses the current challenges facing academic freedom and intellectual safety in education, and the connection between human rights and sports. Lastly, Karen shares her most influential role model on her journey in human rights, as well as one crit...

Note: due to character limitations, bio and episode details are an abbreviated version. Visit the HREUSA Podcast page for the full version HERE . Dr. Alex Red Corn is a citizen of the Osage Nation in what is now Oklahoma. He is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Kansas State University (K-State) and will soon serve as Director and Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies and Asso...

In Episode 32, Dr. Alex Red Corn discusses leadership programs in Indian education in the Western US and the need for such programs in states east of the Mississippi. Next, he expands on the lack of knowledge among the public about federally recognized tribes. Alex then describes conflicts emerging from ignorance of tribal sovereignty, and the role of treaties between tribes and the US government...

In Episode 30, Lina Lenberg discusses bridging the gap between Holocaust/genocide studies and human rights education, and the importance of addressing genocide as embodying many human rights violations. Next, she shares her ideas around the conceptualizing links between HRE and social justice. Next, Lina explains how it requires a concerted and consistent effort to create the conditions to envisio...

Note: due to character limitations, bio and episode details are an abbreviated version. Visit the HREUSA Podcast page for the full version HERE . Dr. Lina Lenberg has been an educator for 20+ years. Lina  works as a middle school classroom teacher and a part-time professor in the  International and Multicultural Education Department at the University of San  Francisco (USF). Lina serves on the edi...

In Episode 28, Maria Hantzopoulos discusses her work with non-governmental organizations, as well as her work in designing curriculum, which deals with human rights. Maria then shares what she views are challenges to mainstream narratives in global history, and the idea of curriculum interventions as contested spaces. She emphasizes the intersections of HRE and peace education, as well as the chal...