Class Art and Human Rights

Optional theoretical CU, whose program focuses on the founding concepts, problems and dilemmas of Human Rights. A theoretical-practical approach is proposed, combining the analysis of human rights with reflection on the role of art in society. Students are encouraged to develop work aligned with their interests and research projects and are encouraged to explore concepts such as freedom, social justice, and multiculturalism, examining how these intersect with diverse identities, social tensions, and inequalities.

Not applicable

  The course of this UC leads students to reflect on the following questions: 1. What do we understand by universal human rights and what are the challenges and limits of their recognition in different contexts? 2. How can art question inequalities and stimulate social awareness about freedom, justice, and collective responsibility? 3. Which artists, movements, and artistic practices, both historical and contemporary, address issues related to human rights? 4. In what ways can art bring us closer to different forms of vulnerability? 5. To what extent can commitment to social and political causes limit the aesthetic autonomy of the artist's work?

  The first half of the semester consists of lectures of an expository nature on the previously mentioned programmatic contents, in which the teacher uses audiovisual means to share images, videos, or quotes. After the initial presentation, students are invited to actively participate by discussing the works and texts presented, and guided readings and debates may take place, transitioning from one class to another. The second half of the semester is dedicated to the development of theoretical-practical work, with students expected to use class time to work on it under the teacher's supervision. This work should meet the student's interests and the specificities of their research project, potentially serving as a contribution to their future dissertation. During this period, oral presentations on the ongoing works will be scheduled, which classmates will attend actively, using the SWOT analysis method.

BESHTY, Walead – Ethics [Documents of Contemporary Art]. Londres: Whitechapel Gallery, 2015.   CARDOSO, Fernando da Silva – Direitos humanos: Reflexões a partir da arte, gênero(s) e movimentos sociais. Maringá: Viseu, 2018.  CASTELLANO, Carlos Garrido; RAPOSO, Paulo – Textos para uma História da Arte Socialmente Comprometida. Lisboa: Sistema Solar, 2019.  FREEMAN, Michael – Human Rights [Key Concepts]. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2022. MBEMBE, Achille – A Comunidade Terrestre. Lisboa: Antígona, 2024.  LE GUIN, Ursula K. – The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas [1973]. in The Winds Twelve Quarters & The Compass Rose. Londres: Gollancz, 2015.  KILOMBA, Grada – Memórias da Plantação: Episódios de Racismo Quotidiano. Lisboa: Orfeu Negro, 2022 KRENAK, Ailton – Ideias para Adiar o Fim do Mundo. Lisboa: Antígona, 2025