Unit 9.5 - Calls for Reform and Responses After 1900

Learning Objectives
  • Understand historical developments in rights-based discourses that challenged assumptions about race, class, gender, and religion.
  • Analyze how access to education and political participation evolved over time.
Historical Developments
  • Rights-based discourses emerged to challenge outdated beliefs about race, class, gender, and religion.
    • Increased access to education and professional roles shifted inclusivity concerning these social categories.
    • Movements worldwide protested against inequalities in these domains.
Major Challenges to Social Assumptions
  • Creation of the United Nations (1945): Aiming to promote international cooperation and peace.
  • Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): Key protections laid out for children, women, and refugees.
  • Various global feminist movements advocating for women's rights.
  • The Negritude Movement emphasizing Black cultural pride and self-determination.
  • Liberation Theology in Latin America advocating for societal changes toward justice.
  • Nuremberg Trials: Establishing accountability for war crimes, influencing future human rights efforts.
Increased Access to Education and Politics
  • Women gained the right to vote in various countries:
    • United States (1920), Brazil (1932), Turkey (1934), Japan (1945), India (1947), Morocco (1963).
  • Higher education enrollment for females increased, contributing to rising literacy rates.
  • Significant legislations, such as the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1965, marked progress towards equality.
  • End of apartheid in South Africa and caste reservation in India reinforced rights and equality.
The Era of Rights (1948 Onwards)
  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights established fundamental rights without discrimination based on various factors (race, gender, etc.).
  • Formation of UNICEF to aid children post-WWII, and persistent investigations into human rights abuses since.
International Court of Justice
  • Established by the UN charter as the World Court to handle international law disputes.
  • This judicial body addresses cases brought by countries, often dealing with borders and refugee protections.
Global Feminism Initiatives
  • 1911: First International Women’s Day celebrated with mass participation.
  • 1975: UN’s first World Conference on Women resulted in a decade-long plan for women's advancement.
  • 1979: CEDAW adopted by the UN, defining fundamental women's rights and protections globally.
  • Significant events like the 2017 Women’s March drew international attention to women's rights issues.
Steps Toward Gender Equality
  • Voting rights disparity persisted; e.g., Black and Native American women in the U.S. faced delays.
  • Global comparisons highlight varying timelines for women's voting rights.
Cultural Rights and Religious Movements
  • Negritude Movement: Celebrated African heritage and sought self-determination.
    • Leaders like Léopold Sédar Senghor emphasized the beauty of African culture through literature.
  • Liberation Theology united faith with socio-economic justice, often facing persecution.
    • Influenced political movements in Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Racial Equality Efforts
  • Major U.S. milestones in the 1960s against segregation and discrimination (Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts).
  • South African apartheid led to significant resistance through the ANC and efforts led by figures like Nelson Mandela.
    • Achieved a democratic transition in 1994 allowing universal voting rights.
Caste Reservation in India
  • Indian Constitution outlawed discrimination against Dalits in 1949 and introduced caste reservation policies to promote equality in government jobs and education.
Human Rights Challenges in China
  • Despite economic reforms, China maintained stringent controls over civil liberties, with events like the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989 highlighting severe governmental repression.
    • The aftermath included denial of protestor deaths and strict censorship of related historical content.
Environmental Movements
  • Earth Day (1970) set an annual global focus on environmental issues.
  • Organizations like Greenpeace have a mission to address environmental challenges, advocating for sustainable practices.
  • The Green Belt Movement, initiated by Wangari Maathai, promoted ecological restoration and women's empowerment.
Discussion Questions
  • What factors contributed to the success or failure of different reform movements?
  • In what ways did imperialism influence reforms post-1900?
  • How did international collaboration drive reform initiatives?