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?

Human rights are under significant stress everywhere around the world. Recent decades have seen a growing international consensus that human rights education plays a fundamental role in both the realization of human rights and the safeguarding of democracy. 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, 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. College students often lack exposure to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and understanding of the complex role that the modern human rights regime and its underlying principles and values play in geopolitics and people’s lives. We aim to help close these gaps by embedding human rights knowledge and practices throughout campus.

Upcoming Events

Since 2023, there has been an increased focus across campus on the concept of human rights and dignity. 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.

There are no events found

Current Projects

Current initiatives include the practice of “Calling In” to address conflict and 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 ccuthbert@smith.edu to request a workshop.

Calling In Resources & Practice Refresh: We Want to Hear from You!

Calling In supports Compass 2035’s goal to strengthen wellbeing, belonging, and resilience. Since 2016, Calling In, as both a theoretical and practical framework, has been adapted across the Smith campus, including by the Office of Equity & Inclusion, the Wurtele Center for Collaborative Leadership, Lead Corps, the Office of Student Engagement, and others. In the 2025–26 academic year, Calling In: How to Make Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel was the all-campus read.

During the 2026–27 academic year, Human Rights Initiatives at Smith, in partnership with other campus units, will be updating Calling In resources and developing new practice opportunities for the Smith community. We invite all all students, faculty, teaching staff, and staff to help shape this work.

Reproductive Justice

Reproductive Justice Futurisms

Relevant to 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. 

Reproductive Justice Futurisms Campus-Based Mini Think Tanks 

Students may participate in or be trained to facilitate Reproductive Justice Futurisms Mini Think Tanks on campus. 

These innovative, student-led “pop-up” think tanks are the brainchild of Amelie Horn ’25. Drawing on multimedia resources and often featuring guest speakers, these two-hour events foster conversations about Reproductive Justice Futurisms, collective futures, and community health. As of spring 2026, RJF Mini Think Tanks have been held on more than 15 campuses nationwide, including two at Smith. More than 40 students have been trained as facilitators.

Five College Reproductive Health & Justice Certificate

The Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice (RHRJ) certificate provides undergraduate students at the Five Colleges with an opportunity to develop a strong understanding of the social, economic, legal, and political conditions that influence reproduction in the U.S. and transnationally.

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.

Students at a table in the Campus Center, looking at zines made by professor Kutlu's International Human Rights class

In Practice

For their final project in Professor Zümray Kutlu’s International Human Rights course (GOV 249), students create zines on a wide range of human rights issues within the United States and globally. Professor Kutlu’s students have displayed their zines as part of Human Rights Day and Smith Arts Day activities.

For Faculty & Teaching Staff

Human Rights Initiatives at Smith supports faculty and teaching staff 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!

Curricular Enhancement Grants

During academic years 2024–25 and 2025–26, twenty-five faculty and teaching staff were awarded flexible curricular mini-enhancement grants to integrate human rights content or activities into their courses. Recipients were representative of all divisions, resulting in an increased number and variety of human rights offerings across the curriculum. Funding permitting, we will continue this program going forward.

  • 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 Collaborative Leadership Design Thinking

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