Bridges to Zambia: Teaching Human Rights Through Immersion Experience1

Abstract

Education is a fundamental factor of development, preparing the educated for a better tomorrow. Education serves to improve quality of life, is a means of enhancing the economic growth for individuals and nations and provides a way for marginalized children and adults to exchange lives of desperation, poverty and injustice for those illuminated with liberty, justice and self-determination. Education is declared by the United Nations as a human right. This chapter presents one model to teach for human rights through experiential learning. It shares a unique experience of education and business students in their immersion trip to Zambia. The model used to develop the partnership is integral human development (IHD). This chapter provides description of the model, how it was implemented and shares direct citations from students’ reflection journals highlighting three themes: communication, reciprocity and self-exploration.

Citation

Sheety, A., McLaughlin, E. and Pierson, S.J. (2021), "Bridges to Zambia: Teaching Human Rights Through Immersion Experience1", Sengupta, E. and Blessinger, P. (Ed.) International Perspectives in Social Justice Programs at the Institutional and Community Levels (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 37), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 29-44. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120210000037003