Watching Human Rights

“Mark Gibney has not only collected 101 films that challenge us to empathize and mobilize, he has woven their plots into the larger story of the human rights movement, showing how each illustrates a part of the struggle for human dignity.” —Reed Brody, Human Rights Watch “Whether you are a film buff, a human rights scholar, or a casual observer of humanity, you will want to absorb this beautiful book. It is approachable and engaging while also frank and unblinking. Like the films in this book, Gibney succeeds in the crucial role of putting human faces on human rights.” —Niklaus Steiner, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill “Mark Gibney has compiled a wonderful list of films—both fiction and documentary—that illustrate the entire range of human rights violations, from torture to poverty to indigenous rights and beyond, with commentary that explains their relevance to international human rights law. The volume is an excellent source for teachers of human rights who want to recommend films to their students. This is a book I’ve wanted for years.” —Rhoda E. Howard-Hassmann, Wilfrid Laurier University “Today human rights is increasingly studied and understood through images, specifically film. Yet scholars and teachers have lacked an all-in-one guide to the best films on the subject. Mark Gibney’s Watching Human Rights is thus the perfect resource, as it profiles both mainstream films and lesser-known international and independent films and vividly shows how visualizing human suffering or triumph can give us deeper insight into the meaning and significance of human rights.” —Safia Swimelar, Elon University