The Rights of Man: Great Thinkers and Great Movements

By: Paul Gordon Lauren, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Paul Gordon Lauren

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." These stirring words from the Declaration of Independence are a powerful statement of the importance of human rights in Western civilization. But many of the freedoms we enjoy today were not so "self-evident" to lawmakers throughout much of our history.

Instead, many of those freedoms - from racial segregation, from enslavement, from persecution for one's religion or ethnicity - were the result of long and fierce struggles that took place in courtrooms and meeting rooms, in churches and on battlefields, in classrooms and on streets, at home and abroad, often over many years.

Now an award-winning author and honored teacher and scholar tells you this inspirational and profound story in a series of 24 riveting, often moving lectures designed to strengthen your appreciation of both your rights and the long struggles to obtain them.

You'll follow the battle for human rights from the initial visions of history's greatest philosophers, religious leaders, and political thinkers to those who fought to make their visions of equality a reality, including Lucretia Mott, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela. Each lecture gives you an overview of historical movements like the struggle for women's suffrage, the emancipation of serfs and slaves, and the development of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2008 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2008 The Great Courses

Best I have heard in a long time

I have heard a lot of lectures in my time and this is simply one of the best ever. Very well organized, illustrated with moving examples, and built around a few consistent themes, this is both informative and inspiring. I highly recommend it to everyone in every country of the world.

The end didn't age well

if anything, the end illustrates the danger of letting down our guard. But a very worthwhile course by all means and you'll understand my criticism of the end, when you get there.

Worthy listening

Content in this series was informative and covered topics that were new to me. I had to chuckle to myself when Professor Lauren would say, "something, something, something,.. what?" as if he expected his audience to respond with the correct answer. I kept imagining Ben Stein... "Bueller? Bueller?" Otherwise, a good performance.

great set of lectures and a really good narrator

this is a great book really easy to understand and with a comprehensive history of the evolution of human rights

Touching and Encouraging During Covid- 19 Time

I wish that the title would have been a bit more "up to date" (e.g. "The Rights of Humans", or the like), but Prof. Lauren is obviously a very gentle person, and I know he meant no offence. Anyway, especially chapters 8 through 24 brought tears of encouragement to my eyes several times, because the course reacquainted me with how courageous and kind and moral some people can be.