– The discussion questions should be responded to separately

– Expand on your colleagues’ postings with an additional insight on how ethical norms and codes of conduct within different cultures might affect pub administrators’ perceptions of human rights.

– Suggest another example of differing cultures with different norms and values in support of your colleagues’ postings.

Discussion #1

Cultural differences in ethical norms and codes of conduct might affect the public administrator’s perception of human rights within the country. The ways in which differences of culture might affect perception are near limitless, to contain this topic into the length of a discussion post, here are two specific ways.

Ethnic norms-In Rwanda, there are three primary ethnic groups; Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa (Painter, 2018). Ten thousand years of history, to include war and European colonization, created norms and social hierarchies most recently culminating in a genocide in the mid-1990s. Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) run a majority of the schools in the country. Social norms, for example the way that the Twa people are seen as low-level workers who do not need higher education due to their ethnic background, might conflict with a public administrator’s role in a school.

Corruption norms- Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) lists Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, North Korea, and Yemen as the most corrupt countries. An NGO administrator working in these countries would most likely find that local norms (i.e. bribery, elections, theft, nepotism) conflict with program and ethical requirements of the job (2019).

Global governance structures and nongovernmental organizations can affect improvements in human rights. According to Twiss (2011), three examples of affected improvements using global structures are indigenous peoples, human rights and environmental concerns, and finally human rights and transitional justice. In the case of indigenous peoples, success came in the form a vote for the approval of the “Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” in September 2007. However, Benjamin warns that humanitarian-motivated interventions have been used in the past, specifically by the United States and Russia prior to incursions in Korea, Afghanistan, and Grenada (2010). Perhaps these “false” interventions slowed later interventions in Rwanda, Somalia, and Sudan.

References:

Benjamin, D. O. (2010). Rethinking nonintervention: The challenge of the UN charter and protecting the dispossessed. Public Integrity, 12(3), 201–218.

Painter, R. (2018). Rwanda. Salem Press Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=88391168&site=eds-live&scope=site

Transparency International. (2019). Retrieved July 15, 2019, from https://www.transparency.org/

Twiss, S. B. (2011). Global ethics and human rights: A reflection. Journal of Religious Ethics, 39(2), 204–222.

Discussion #2

The United States consists of two groups: orthodox and progressivist. The difference is their views of morality. Orthodox individuals believe that nature reveals morality and progressivists are free thinking individuals that believe that they make their own choices about morality. Orthodox individuals believe that when individuals act immorally then they will be punished. Progressivists believe that the cultural differences are important which leads to not punishing individuals for moral transgressions and instead doing what is necessary to restore order to society (Lene, 1997).

Public administration is the foundation of creating effective ethical codes. Having effective ethical codes lead to an honest work environment and a system to reward and punish employees. Although having ethical codes does not force the government to act ethically, it does show the government that the public requires integrity. As public servants there is a sense of personal integrity which is aligned with the organization’s ethics and leads an ethical and effective organization (Gilman, 2005).

The ethical codes assist public servants with fulfilling their responsibilities to the public. However, in places where there is no democracy the public act according to rules created by the government. Although ethical codes are the foundation of an organization it is hard to enforce them. For example, the Philippine government has code of ethics that are not enforced because the government does not have enough power to enforce them (Gilman, 2005).

By using ethical standards the government can create a norm for handling human rights. Although Orthodox and Progressivists have their own idea of what is moral it is very likely that their morality standards will lead to the same conclusion, however, they may not take the same pathway to get there. In having the necessary morals and values individuals subconsciously believe in basic rights and freedom. If there are differences in individual’s beliefs and it does not lead to doing what is best for the public then the government is forced to enforce the code of ethics.

Reference

Gilman, S.C. (2005). Ethics codes and codes of conduct as tools for promoting an ethical and professional public service: Comparative successes and lessons.

Retrieved from: http://www.oecd.org/mena/governance/35521418.pdf

Reflection Paper Topics with Grading Rubric

You will write a 1000-1500 word response to your chosen paper topic from the list below. See Course Outline for the due date. 

This assignment is worth 300 points, or 30% of your grade. 

DO NOT USE ANY SOURCES OTHER THAN THE DALRYMPLE ARTICLE AND YOUR TEXTBOOK.

YOU WILL ATTACH A FILE IN THE BOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE.

Learning Objectives:

Students will demonstrate their ability to construct arguments about issues of both personal and universal significance. Their writing should demonstrate that they can construct cogent, concise, and logically coherent arguments.

Assessment:

Students should demonstrate that they can distinguish the relevant points that form a logically coherent argument. They should also be able to construct criticisms which effectively undermine, through the use of appropriate counter-examples, some premise of that argument.

Your assignment is to read any ONE of the following four articles located in the final chapter of the textbook:

The Frivolity of Evil

How and How Not to Love Mankind

What We Have to Lose

Roads to Serfdom

Then, FOR THE ARTICLE YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE ON, you will type a 1000-1500 word response in which you address EACH of the following points IN YOUR OWN WORDS: 1) What is the author’s main argument? 2) How does he support his main argument (evidence, ancillary arguments, etc.)? 3) Do you agree or disagree with him? 4) Why or why not? 5) Apply the insights of at least two of the readings we have studied in this course (in chapters 1-9) to your analysis. Make sure to give a substantive explanation of how the philosophers’ insights are relevant to the topic you are discussing.

A WORD OF WARNING: These articles are rather long and complex. The author likes to make extensive use of his rather copious vocabulary, so I strongly urge you to have dictionary.com handy as you work your way through your chosen article. The purpose of this essay assignment is for you to demonstrate your ability to discuss, analyze, and evaluate complex philosophic arguments. I am confident that the reading assignments, tests, and discussion boards will have prepared you for this final, and no doubt challenging, essay assignment.

Note: I only allow one attempt on this assignment. Students who do not fully address all of the components of the assignment as stated in the instructions as well as the grading rubric below will have to be content with the grade they earned. 

Please use MLA format.

Your paper will be graded according to the following rubric:

Grading Rubric:

The following standards are numbered in order of importance for grading.

1.Essay demonstrates an understanding of the material: The student has correctly grasped a philosophical problem or question, has explained it accurately, and on the basis of a substantially correct interpretation of any texts involved. Key terms are used correctly. The essay shows evidence of the student’s independent thought, and is written in his or her distinctive voice. Short (one sentence) quotations are used (comprising no more than 10% of the body of the paper), when appropriate, to support the writer’s analysis, and an explanation is offered for each quotation. The use of block quotations will result in a severe point deduction.

95 points

2.Essay has clear and coherent argument: There is a clearly stated thesis, and support for this thesis in the body of the paper. Each paragraph contributes to this argument, and follows logically from the paragraph before it. The argument presented is persuasive. The insights of two other philosophers are incorporated into the analysis.

95 points

3.Essay fulfills assigned task: The essay addresses the entire assigned question or topic, elaborating on important ideas in satisfactory depth, but without bringing in anything extraneous or irrelevant. The introduction of the essay focuses and provides clarity for the paper. Important terms are clearly and accurately defined. Each paragraph conveys a coherent, organized thought. Short (one sentence) quotations are occasionally used, when appropriate, to support the writer’s analysis, and an explanation is offered for each quotation. No more than 10% of paper is made up of direct quotes. No block quotations.

40 points

4.Essay obeys standards for good persuasive writing: the writer shows that he or she is comfortable using philosophical language, and the prose is clear, not awkward. The structure of the sentences reflects the relationships between/among the ideas discussed.

40 points

5.Essay is technically correct: The essay has been carefully and thoughtfully proofread. The argument is written in complete sentences, with punctuation that does not mislead the reader. There are no mistakes in spelling, grammar, word choice, and punctuation.