Current human rights-related issues, such as the fragility of democracy or the refugee and environmental emergencies, lend themselves to negative prospects and a sense of hopelessness. How much would all this change if we were to take a new approach, a new narrative focused on solutions, visualizing the goal rather than highlighting the obstacles?
Hope-based Human Rights is the second series in the Global Campus “To the Righthouse” podcast programme. This time we want to move away from ‘crisis narratives’ or human rights discourses focussed on denouncing the wrongs and instead try and argue that discourses based on hope, empathy and solidarity are more effective frames to talk about human rights.
To do so, we have invited 5 guests who will discuss a different theme each week where hope can be a game-changer, from the need to stress positive human rights achievements to the power of telling a human story.
Listen on as our host Prof. Graham Finlay explores these ideas with Thomas Coombes, Marina Shupac, Andrew Leon Hanna, Mary Lawlor, George Ulrich.
A picture of the world we want to see
In conversation with Thomas Coombes
We conclude the series with a conversation about embracing hope. As a final reflection, we want to hope for the future and draw a picture of the world we want to see. We do this together with Thomas Coombes* who talks about why it helps to focus more on the human in order to achieve change and what a checklist of hope-based human rights communication would look like.
is a global communications strategist who developed hope-based communications to help the human rights and other progressive movements develop new narratives for social change. He has spent 15 years working in political communications for Amnesty International, Transparency International, the European Commission and global PR firm Hill & Knowlton. Thomas is an Alumnus of GC Europe. Take your hope-based pledge here.
The importance of hopefulness in creating justice
In conversation with Marina Shupac
In this episode, we focus on practicing hope and on good examples of aspiration, solidarity and resilience as opposed to negative feelings of suffering. Marina Shupac* brings in her professional and personal perspective to respond to the following questions: in what ways is hope a key for the empowerment of rights-holders? How can it be appreciated as a driver for change? How can it make the broken stronger?
is an award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker and human rights practitioner from Moldova. Her film Last Chance for Justice was commissioned by the BBC World News and won, among other honours, the One World Media Awards. Marina was also awarded the Senior Minority Fellowship with the UN OHCHR and the Sakharov Fellowship with the EU Parliament. With an ethnic minority background, Marina is passionate about stories that diminish divisions between “us” and “them” and create solidarity among people. She is an Alumna of GC Caucasus.
The power of telling a human story
In conversation with Andrew Leon Hanna
We want to continue our journey to better understand what it means to hope for the human, and to do so we will talk about the power of telling a human story. Our guest Andrew Leon Hanna* will answer some important questions: why is it important to use a common ground rather than divisive narratives? A human story rather than statistics and jargon? How can we amplify the powerful voices of unsung heroes?
is author of a Financial Times Book of the Year, a Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, and a Harvard-trained lawyer. He co-founded DreamxAmerica, whose PBS film was nominated for a Chicago Emmy® and which connects small businesses to zero-interest loans. Hanna received an MBA with honors from Stanford and a JD with honours from Harvard. Full bio here.
The need to stress achievements (big and small)
In conversation with Mary Lawlor
In the face of the current backlash against human rights, we want to reflect on how to hope for the better and what we can learn from the need to stress achievements in our continuous human rights struggles. We discuss some key questions with Mary Lawlor*: what evidence is there that human rights work? How do we talk about hope without focussing on threats (when human rights defenders are under attack, for instance)? How to better recognise positive achievements?
is the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders since 1 May 2020. She was born and educated in Ireland and is an Adjunct Professor of Business and Human Rights. She was the founder and director of Front Line Defenders (2001-2016) and Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International (1988 to 2000). Full bio here.
The importance of positive human rights narratives
In conversation with George Ulrich
In the first GC Podcast Series, we widely explained why talking with human rights sceptics is not only relevant but also conducive to increased motivation for further action. Still, an important question remained: how to improve a meaningful human rights discourse? George Ulrich* shares his thoughts and answers additional questions: how do we prompt positive and engaged reactions to human rights issues? Is there a way to bring a positive vision of human rights to people’s everyday lives?
is the Academic Director of the Global Campus of Human Rights. Among his main research interests are the history and philosophy of human rights, human rights diplomacy, human rights and development cooperation, health and human rights. A key focus of his teaching is to equip students to effectively engage with expressions of human rights scepticism. He was the host of the first GC Podcast Series. Full bio here.