This is a survey course covering the history, theory, and practice of human rights in Latin America. Emphasis will be placed on the normative context within which human rights discourses develop, followed by an explanation of how and why legal institutions support (or inhibit) the protection of human rights in local contexts throughout the region. Drawing on the instructor's legal background, students will also be introduced to the practice of human rights law in relevant domestic and international contexts, with a special emphasis on the Inter-American Human Rights System (e.g. the Inter-American Court and the IACHR).