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Human rights education in Japan: An historical account, characteristics and suggestions for a better-balanced approach.

Takeda, S., 2012. Human rights education in Japan: An historical account, characteristics and suggestions for a better-balanced approach. Cambridge Journal of Education, 42 (1), 83 - 96.

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DOI: 10.1080/0305764X.2011.651203

Abstract

Although human rights are often expressed as universal tenets, the concept was conceived in a particular socio-political and historical context. Conceptualisations and practice of human rights vary across societies, and face numerous challenges. After providing an historical account of the conceptualisation of human rights in Japanese society, this paper examines human rights education in Japan, focusing on implementation of the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education. Whilst the Decade’s Action Plan advocates a comprehensive approach, Japanese human rights education focuses far less attention on imparting knowledge and developing learners’ attitudes, placing strong emphasis on aspects of responsibility and harmonious human relations understood in the historical context of Japanese moral education. Pedagogical proposals are made to promote a comprehensive approach, including focus on the role of empowering learners, enabling them to protect themselves by invoking human rights.

Item Type:Article
ISSN:0305-764X
Uncontrolled Keywords:human rights; citizenship education; learner empowerment; Japan; United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
Group:Bournemouth University Business School
ID Code:29372
Deposited By: Symplectic RT2
Deposited On:21 Jun 2017 10:08
Last Modified:14 Mar 2022 14:05

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