Human Rights Initiatives at Smith

At Smith, human rights initiatives encompass curricular and co-curricular human rights-based education and opportunities for the entire Smith community. 

Through evolving collaborations with centers, departments, student groups, and initiatives across campus, students encounter human rights topics across the curriculum, learn practices that are rooted in the principle that everyone has an inherent dignity worthy of respect, and explore traditional and surprising human rights career paths.

We invite all members of the Smith community to be in touch with us to discuss your questions and ideas by emailing the human rights education specialists on campus, Carrie Cuthbert or Professor Loretta J. Ross.

Why Is This Work Important?

Recent decades have witnessed a growing international consensus that human rights education plays a fundamental role in the realization of human rights. In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training setting forth a call for states to teach about human rights (norms and principles, underlying values and mechanisms for their protection); through human rights (learning and teaching in a transformative way that respects the rights of educators and learners); and for human rights (empowering persons to exercise their rights and to uphold the rights of others).

With tensions between authoritarianism, illiberalism, and democracy rising across the globe, and the strong (if imperfect) correlation between democracy as a form of government and the protection and realization of human rights—including in the United States—the need for human rights education is pressing. Human rights education in the United States, however, is negligible. Very few K–12 schools teach human rights and only 7% of Americans can name their human rights. How can we fight for our human rights, or defend the rights of others, if we don’t know what they are? We aim to help close this gap to enhance a high-quality liberal arts education.

Upcoming Events

Since 2023, there has been an increased focus across campus on the concept of human rights. Past events have ranged from public panels with MacArthur Fellows to film screenings to Calling In workshops to career panels. Check out what’s coming up soon and how you can get involved.

Current Projects

Current initiatives include the practice of “Calling In,” pioneered by Professor Loretta J. Ross, and reproductive justice, including the emerging theoretical and practical framework of reproductive justice futurisms. With events, projects, lectures, and more, the campus community continues to make strides and conduct research in these crucial areas.

Human Rights Leadership & Practice

Calling In Workshops

Pioneered by Professor Loretta J. Ross, “Calling In” is a framework and approach to contentious interpersonal interactions that is rooted in principles of human dignity. A Calling In is a call-out done with love to achieve radical accountability. Workshops teach how to develop the moral competence and integrity needed to bridge divisions, advance “compassion justice,” and build towards a future in which everyone’s human rights and dignity are respected. They offer one step toward basic human rights literacy. Workshops are offered to students, faculty and staff at various times throughout the year. Email lross22@smith.edu to request a workshop.

Calling In Book Clubs

Professor Loretta J. Ross’ book, Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel is the 2025–26 Smith Reads selection. Email oei@smith.edu to learn more, get a copy of the book, or to facilitate or join a Book Club.

Mini Think Tanks

Students may participate in or be trained to facilitate Reproductive Justice Futurisms Mini Think Tanks on campus. These student-led, two-hour “pop up” think tanks were developed by Amelie Horn ’25, piloted in spring 2025 at Smith, Mount Holyoke College, and CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy, and are currently being organized on campuses nationally.

Reproductive Justice

Prominent topics discussed at every level—locally, statewide, and nationally—reproductive rights and justice have been, and continue to be, at the forefront of several large-scale events at Smith. 

In 2024, the college hosted Abortion as a Human Right: A Dialogue, a standing-room-only discussion featuring an intergenerational panel of renowned reproductive justice, racial justice, and human rights leaders, and From the Margins to the Center: How Black Women Advance Reproductive Justice Policy, a panel of leaders in the Black women’s reproductive justice movement.

In March 2025, Smith held a Reproductive Justice Futurisms Think Tank, a first-of-its-kind gathering which brought nearly 100 frontline leaders of reproductive justice, technology, and human rights. Among them were MacArthur Fellows Byllye Avery, Dorothy Roberts, and Loretta Ross. Thanks to a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a second RJF Think Tank will be held March 4–6, 2026.

Human Rights Across the Curriculum

Students may encounter and explore human rights through courses in all four Divisions: Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, and Interdisciplinary. See Course Schedule Search for course descriptions and details.

African Studies

AFS 214 Introduction to Human Rights in Africa (4 credits)

Biological Sciences

BIO 132 Molecules, Cells and Systems (4 credits)

Government

GOV 241 Introduction to International Politics (4 credits)
GOV 248 The Arab-Israeli Dispute (4 credits)
GOV 249 International Human Rights (4 credits)
GOV 342mt Topics in Turkish Politics: Nationalism, Islam, and Democracy in Modern Turkey (4 credits)
GOB 347gh Topics in International and Comparative Politics: Genocide, Mass Atrocities, and Human Rights (4 credits)

Middle East Studies

MES 342mt Topics in Turkish Politics: Nationalism, Islam, and Democracy in Modern Turkey (4 credits)

Philosophy

PHI 234hr Topics in Philosophy of Human Nature: Human Rights and Justice (4 credits)

Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality

SWG 241 White Supremacy in the Age of Trump (4 credits)
SWG 271 Reproductive Justice (4 credits)

Community Engagement & Social Change

CCX 120 Community-Based Learning: Ethics and Practice (2 credits)
CCX 245 Collective Organizing (4 credits)

Interdepartmental

IDP 133 Critical Perspectives on Collaborative Leadership (4 credits)
IDP 234 Examining Equity and Action-Based Design for Leaders (1 credit)

Study of Women, Gender & Sexuality

SWG 245 Collective Organizing (4 credits)

For Faculty & Teaching Staff

Human Rights Initiatives at Smith supports faculty to integrate human rights content and practices into their scholarship and teaching in a variety of ways. We are always available to discuss your ideas!

Teaching Circles

During the 2025–26 academic year, faculty and teaching staff are invited to join Human Rights Teaching Circles through the Sherrerd Center for Teaching and Learning. RSVP for Human Rights Teaching Circles.

Curricular Enhancement Grants

In September 2025, nine faculty and teaching staff were awarded flexible curricular mini-enhancement grants to integrate human rights content or activities into their courses. In academic year 2024–25, grants were awarded to 18 faculty and teaching staff representative of all divisions, resulting in an increased number and variety of human rights offerings across the curriculum. We will continue this program going forward, funding permitting. 

  • Nathan Derr and Jess Gersony, Biological Sciences & Biochemistry: Integrated the human right to science into the introductory course on molecules, cells, and systems, building on prior efforts to create more equitable biology classrooms. This has worked to make space for the human endeavor of science as part of the core content of biology.
  • Zümray Kutlu, Government: Brought more than a dozen international guest speakers to three courses: International Human Rights; NGOs in World Politics; and Nationalism, Islam, and Democracy in Modern Turkey.
  • May George, Middle East Studies: Incorporated the Advanced Arabic course readings about human rights in the Middle East focusing on women’s rights, children’s rights, and the rights of minorities.

Dialoguing Humanity

Dialoguing Humanity: Learning Languages Through Human Rights Issues is a human rights project in Arabic, Chinese, French, and Russian aims to enrich language learners’ understanding of global human rights issues. By engaging with diverse linguistic and cultural perspectives, the project encourages students to broaden their worldview and deepen their critical thinking across multiple disciplines, including Middle East studies, government, English, and more. Supported by the Conway Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Campus Partners

Jandon Center for Community Engagement Lazarus Center for Career Development Integrative Learning Smith College Libraries & Archives Conway Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center Office for Equity & Inclusion Wurtele Center for Leadership

Foundation Funders

The following foundations have generously supported Human Rights Initiatives at Smith:

  • The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
  • The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
  • The New York Women’s Fund
  • The Rockefeller Family Fund
  • The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Contact Human Rights Initiatives at Smith

Wright Hall 205
5 Chapin Way
Northampton, MA 01063

Carrie Cuthbert
ccuthbert@smith.edu 

Professor Loretta J. Ross
lross22@smith.edu