Human rights researcher Professor Todd Landman will launch a project that aims to share and promote the hard facts about human rights through podcasting today (International Human Rights Day).
The project is funded by the Nuffield Foundation.
Todd, Pro Vice Chancellor of Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham, is working with former BBC journalist Chris Garrington of Research Podcasts and web developer Paul Groves to produce The Rights Track, a series of 12 podcast episodes in which he’ll interview some of the top human rights experts from around the world.
Todd said: “There has never been a more important time to talk openly and accessibly about human rights. We will be inviting leading experts to share their research findings in the context of what’s currently going on in the world. Each podcast will tackles a key question or issue and, we hope, shed light on it by looking at the hard evidence.”
The Rights Track podcast launches on December 10, International Human Rights Day. Although the interviews focus on research by academics, they are accessible to anyone with an interest in human rights issues and evidence. Episode 1 looks at whether we’ve got better at human rights over time and features the work of the podcast’s first guest, Professor Chris Fariss of Pennsylvania State University.
Todd added: “This is an incredible project, which provides a fantastic opportunity to engage with policy makers, NGOs, campaigners and activists, the legal community, students and the wider public about these important issues. Through stimulating discussion, we really hope to get our thinking about human rights on the right track.”
The podcast’s website launches today (December 10) and there is also a Facebook group where anyone interested can get involved by suggesting topics, guests and questions for Todd’s guests and also carry on the discussion after the podcasts have been broadcast. People can also follow the project on Twitter @RightsTrack.
